Automated parking lot space assignment

A method for automatically assigning a parking space in a parking lot to a vehicle, the method comprising:

• receiving, with an electronic processor, a request for a parking space assignment for the vehicle;
• determining, with the electronic processor, a unique vehicle identifier for the vehicle;
• determining, with the electronic processor, a driver preference for a driver of the vehicle;
• generating a preference of an operator of the parking lot by generating a normalized availability score for the parking lot based on at least one selected from a group consisting of historical parking lot usage data, an event indicator, and an average time-to-park value;
• retrieving, from at least one database, parking space data for a plurality of parking spaces in the parking lot;
• generating, with the electronic processor, a plurality of unoccupied parking space identifiers, each corresponding to an unoccupied parking space within the plurality of parking spaces, based on input from at least one sensor;
• selecting, with the electronic processor, a plurality of available parking space identifiers from the plurality of unoccupied parking space identifiers, each available parking space identifier corresponding to an available parking space;
• selecting, from the plurality of available parking space identifiers, the parking space assignment for the vehicle based on the unique vehicle identifier, the driver preference, and the preference of the operator;
• and
• transmitting the parking space assignment.

Non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions executable by an electronic processor to perform a set of functions, the set of functions comprising:

• receiving a request for a parking space assignment for a vehicle from among a plurality of parking spaces included in a parking lot;
• determining a unique vehicle identifier for the vehicle;
• determining, with the electronic processor, a driver preference for a driver of the vehicle;
• generating a preference of an operator of the parking lot by generating a normalized availability score for the parking lot based on at least one selected from a group consisting of historical parking lot usage data, an event indicator, and an average time-to-park value;
• retrieving, from at least one database, parking space data for the plurality of parking spaces in the parking lot;
• generating, based on input from at least one sensor, a plurality of unoccupied parking space identifiers, each corresponding to an unoccupied parking space within the plurality of parking spaces, based on input from at least one sensor;
• selecting a plurality of available parking space identifiers from the plurality of unoccupied parking space identifiers, each available parking space identifier corresponding to an available parking space within the plurality of parking spaces;
• selecting, from the plurality of available parking space identifiers, the parking space assignment for the vehicle based on the unique vehicle identifier, the driver preference, and the preference of the operator;
• and
• transmitting the parking space assignment.