What if parking meters were smart enough to indicate when the attached parking spot was in use, and when it was no longer in use? What if this information was available on the web (or through an app) so that anyone who was looking around for parking could pull off the road for a moment and look up some of the easiest places in the city to park?

What if this information was used to inform city planning? What if the prices of parking were dependent on how busy the surrounding area was, so that commuters were encouraged by lower prices to park in less densely packed areas of town? What if similar parking density meters were installed everywhere there was parking, even if that parking was free?