Committee backs airport—s amended surveillance policy adding parking guidance system; officials say plate data not retained

The San Francisco Rules Committee on Feb. 3 voted unanimously to recommend to the full Board of Supervisors an amended airport surveillance-technology policy that adds a parking assist/parking guidance system to the airport—s existing automated license plate reader and ground transportation management system policy.

Guy Clark, the airport—s IT cybersecurity compliance manager, told the committee the original automated license plate reader policy was approved in 2021 and that the airport decided to combine the new parking guidance system into the existing policy. "The parking assist does not retain the license plate data, from that perspective," Clark said, describing the data-retention difference between the systems.

Clark told the committee the parking guidance system has two new authorized use cases: helping guide customers to available parking spaces and helping customers locate their vehicles if they forget where they parked. He said the system reduces time spent searching for parking, which can increase terminal revenues, reduce driving time and emissions, improve parking efficiency and help users locate their cars.

There was no public comment on the item. The committee received no substantive questions and the motion to forward the amended policy to the full board with recommendation passed unanimously.

The airport said the parking guidance system can locate a vehicle by license-plate input but that the system does not save that plate data as a retention matter; the committee discussion did not include system vendor names, contract terms, or budget figures. The policy text presented to the committee also updated compliance roles to add members of the parking management group as responsible for oversight of the new technology.