Netze BW, the distribution network operator of the EnBW group in Baden-Württemberg, runs Germany's largest LoRaWAN network, with around 3,000 gateways managed from EnBW's own data centres. In 2023 it added Fleximodo parking sensors to the applications on that network, next to smart metering and water monitoring. The sensors needed no new connectivity infrastructure at all.
System architecture
- Sensor. The IoT Parking Sensor Mini sits on the bay surface. A 3-axis magnetometer and radar detect the vehicle, and firmware applies automatic temperature compensation so seasonal temperature changes do not produce false events.
- Network. Each sensor transmits over LoRaWAN to Netze BW's existing gateways. The network is operated from EnBW data centres, so data stays within the utility's own infrastructure.
- Platform. Uplinks are decoded into occupancy states and device health, and exposed for use by applications.
- Integration. Occupancy data serves municipal parking use cases alongside the other IoT services Netze BW runs on the same network.
What was deployed
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Sensor | IoT Parking Sensor Mini (LoRaWAN) |
| Mounting | Surface-mounted, no road cutting |
| Detection | Magnetometer + radar (dual detection) |
| Dimensions | 95 × 95 × 65 mm, 230 g |
| Ingress protection | IP67 |
| Operating range | -40 to +85 °C |
| LoRaWAN classes | A/B/C |
| Network | Netze BW LoRaWAN, about 3,000 gateways |
| Scale | [CONFIRM: sensor count] |
Integration notes
No gateway planning. The usual first task in a LoRaWAN parking project is gateway placement. Here the coverage already existed across the service area, so every sensor had a gateway in range when it was installed.
Data sovereignty. German utilities often need data to stay inside their own systems. Because the network runs from EnBW data centres, parking data follows the same path as the utility's metering data.
Fast installation across many towns. The Mini is fixed to the surface, so installation needs no coring and no road works coordination. That suits a utility covering many towns, where each site may have different permit rules.
One network, several applications. Parking becomes one more device type on a network that already carries metering and monitoring. Fleximodo's integrations and API page describes the available data outputs.
For a municipal programme elsewhere in Baden-Württemberg, see Digitale Agenda Ulm. Typical city use cases are on the municipal solution page.