Robot will park your car at airport

Drivers leave their car in a “garage box” and take a shuttle to the terminal at Lyon-Saint-Exupéry, leaving the robot – nicknamed “Stan” – to park it for them.

Airport spokeswoman Isabelle Rousset said: “The client saves time ... they do not have to walk or look for a parking spot.”

In total, four robots move cars left in 12 boxes and can park 500 cars close to each other.

Mrs Rousset said: “We are developing it step by step and 96% of clients are satisfied”. The goal, she said, is to make parking simpler for passengers and to reduce carbon footprint.

The robots are electric and help to reduce the number of cars circulating around the airport. Passengers opt for the service for an extra fee – for example, €2 more for a weekend – when they book online.

Mrs Rousset added: “It costs more as we have to take into account the new service, but this could evolve.”

The robots, made by French firm Stanley Robotics, were also trialled at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport but are no longer in operation there.

The company plans to try out the robots at Gatwick from August.