Gatwick Airport’s UK-first robot parking: How it works and who can use it

Parking before a flight at Gatwick Airport could soon mean driving into a private cabin, locking the doors, and leaving. A robot then slides underneath, lifts it by the tyres and carries it into secure storage, before return-flight details trigger its collection. But surprisingly strict launch rules will decide who can use it.

The robot does the parking while passengers get to keep their keys

London Gatwick has opened bookings for what it describes as the UK’s first robotic airport parking service located near the South Terminal, with the first passengers expected to use it in August 2026. Travellers drive into a private enclosed cabin, park, remove their belongings, lock the car and confirm their booking using a screen outside.

Once the cabin door closes, an autonomous robot slides beneath the vehicle, lifts it by its tyres and carries it into an access-restricted storage area. This means passengers get to keep their keys throughout their trip, return-flight details are entered during the booking process, and the system brings their car back to a collection cabin before they arrive. After landing, the vehicle can be collected by scanning the booking’s QR code. 

Oli Bedford, Gatwick’s Head of Airport Access, Marketing and Commercial Products, called the service “quick, easy and completely hassle-free”. However, the initial conditions published by Gatwick narrow down who can actually use it.

The five-day minimum rules out shorter trips

The robotic car park must be booked in advance and will not accept drivers who simply turn up on the day. Initially, each booking must cover at least five days. Entry and exit will not be available at weekends, while Gatwick’s launch notes list bookable times between 9am and 5pm.

A car can remain parked over a weekend, but it cannot be dropped off or collected on a Saturday or Sunday. This may make the service unsuitable for a vast number of passengers either going on a short weekend break or with early departures and journeys that do not fit its opening times. Gatwick says the conditions will be adjusted and eased as the service expands.

There is also no single advertised flat price. Quotes depend on the dates and length of stay, while the airport’s terms state that prices can change when a booking is made. Booking through Gatwick’s customer contact centre does add a £5 fee.

Roof boxes, large wheels and heavy SUVs may not fit

Gatwick says the system is compatible with around 95 per cent of vehicle models, but several increasingly common car features could cause problems.

The maximum permitted measurements are:

• Wheelbase: 3.3 metres
• Vehicle height: 2.3 metres
• Wheel diameter: 21 inches
• Vehicle weight: 2.6 tonnes

Sports cars with particularly low ground clearance, pick-up trucks, vehicles towing trailers and cars fitted with roof boxes or bicycle carriers may be unsuitable. Gatwick’s vehicle compatibility guidance lists the Ford Ranger, Range Rover Sport Hybrid and nine-seat Renault Trafic among its incompatible examples.

Vehicle specifications therefore need checking before booking, particularly when travelling in a large SUV, utility vehicle or car fitted with holiday equipment.

Robot damage is covered, but theft is not

The storage area is closed to the public and has 24-hour patrols, perimeter fencing, floodlighting and number-plate-controlled entry and exit. According to Gatwick’s robotic parking terms, the airport and its subcontractors are insured if damage is caused by the robot and will pay the reasonable cost of repairs.

That protection doesn’t cover every incident inside the car park though. The terms exclude responsibility for theft from or of the vehicle, while damage caused by vandalism, wildlife or other accidents is also treated separately from damage caused by the robot.

Any damage or missing belongings must be reported immediately. The driver and a member of staff must complete a customer report before the vehicle leaves the car park. Travellers are also instructed to remove belongings, straighten the wheels, apply the handbrake, lock the car and close every window before activating the cabin.

The new robots get to work in August. Will it work? 

Stanley Robotics has previously operated its technology at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport in France, but Gatwick will be its first commercial airport service in the UK. The jury is still out on whether the robot can deliver on the promised convenience without simly creating new queues at the collection cabins.

It doesn’t seem to be a direct replacement for Gatwick’s conventional car parks, and prospective users will still need to check their dates, vehicle specifications and live prices. But once restrictions are relaxed and opening hours expanded, the robots could lift a weight off of the regular and slow car parking procedure that many passengers experience while travelling in and out of Gatwick.