Metropolis Technologies
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 |
| Legal Structure | Private |
| Industry | Artificial Intelligence, Financial Technology, Parking Management |
| Also known as | |
| Official website | https://www.metropolis.io |
Metropolis Technologies is an American Artificial Intelligence technology company that uses vehicle, device, biometric, and behavioral data to automate payment for services on behalf of registered users using computer vision and deep-learning algorithms.[1][2]
Founded by former ParkMe CEO Alexander Israel with co-founders Travis Kell, Peter Fisher and Courtney Fukuda,[3][4] the company began as a means of managing paid parking sessions, but has since sought to expand its operations by licensing its technology in new verticals, including drive-through restaurants, gas stations, and hotels.[5]
Consumer-impact summary
[edit | edit source]User freedom
[edit | edit source]In order to use Metropolis Technologies' services, users must agree to their Terms of Service, which, as of July 16th, 2026, includes agreeing to a mandatory binding arbitration with class action and jury trial waiver for any users seeking a means of dispute resolution.[6]
User privacy
[edit | edit source]While a user engaging in business with Metropolis Technologies may rightly presume that their vehicle information is used to track their identity as a registered enrollee of the Metropolis Recognition Platform (MRP), the company's privacy policy also outlines the use of other personal identifiers including behavioral analytics (I.E. bodily movement, positioning, gait) and biometric data (I.E. facial recognition templates, scans of facial and hand geometry, or other such unique characteristics).
Business model
[edit | edit source]Metropolis Technologies works by building profiles of persons (Person Profile) and their vehicles (Vehicle Profiles). Behavioral data and biometric identifiers (such as those mentioned in the prior subsection on user privacy) are associated with these profiles in order to track and recognize the presence of a registered enrollee of the MRP. Insofar as parking is concerned, users are then billed according to the duration of their stay in a given parking space serviced by Metropolis.
While Metropolis Technologies is most heavily involved in the parking business, its executive leadership has been clear that their aim is to expand what they see as an everyday, worthwhile convenience into other areas of the broader service industry and beyond.[7]
Market control
[edit | edit source]Metropolis Technologies has been able to quickly establish itself as North America's leading parking management service by means of expanding its presence via acquisition of existing parking management companies. Two of its largest growth buyouts to date include the acquisition of the Nashville-based parking management company Premier Parking for an undisclosed amount in 2022, as well as the take-private acquisition of SP Plus in 2024.[4][8]
Incidents
[edit | edit source]This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the Metropolis Technologies category.
Acquisition of Oosto (Jan 2025)
[edit | edit source]In January of 2025, Metropolis Technologies acquired Oosto (formerly AnyVision Interactive Technologies), a private Israeli surveillance company specializing in real-time human facial recognition technology, for $125 million USD.[9][10][11]
Settlement with the State of Tennessee (2026)
[edit | edit source]- Main article: State of Tennessee v. Metropolis Technologies, Inc.
Following over one hundred consumer complaints regarding unclear pricing and inadequate signage at parking lots managed by Metropolis Technologies, an investigation led by the State of Tennessee found that the company had misled consumers with inaccurate signage and deceptive violation notices, had overcharged them with surprise fees, and had made it difficult to obtain refunds. On January 12th, 2026, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced an $8.75 million dollar settlement with Metropolis Technologies on behalf of impacted consumers.[12] On June 11th, the Tennessee Attorney General announced the opening of the claims process in a separate press release, for which claimants could find electronic forms at www.metropolisparkingsettlement.com.[13]
Products
[edit | edit source]
See also
[edit | edit source]- Forced arbitration
- Clearview AI
- Flock Safety
- Common Questions, Arguments, & Responses when discussing Flock Surveillance
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Mark R. Madler (27 June 2022). "Metropolis Raises $167M Series B Funding". LA Business Journal. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.
- ↑ "Privacy Policy". Metropolis Technologies. 2 June 2026. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.
- ↑ Sarah Mitroff (11 Feb 2013). "Solving Parking Woes, One App at a Time". Wired. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Steve Crighton (17 June 2024). "Metropolis, Eyeing Growth, Closes $1.5B Deal for Parking Company". LA Business Journal. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.
- ↑ Krystal Hu (6 Nov 2025). "Metropolis raises $1.6 billion to expand beyond AI-powered parking lots". Reuters. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.
- ↑ "Terms of Service". Metropolis Technologies. 16 Jul 2026. Archived from the original on 10 Aug 2026. Retrieved 10 Aug 2026.
- ↑ "How recognition can reshape our lives". Metropolis Technologies. 13 Feb 2026. Archived from the original on 10 Aug 2026. Retrieved 10 Aug 2026.
- ↑ "Metropolis acquires Nashville-based Premier Parking". Main Street Nashville. 30 Mar 2022. Archived from the original on 10 Aug 2026. Retrieved 10 Aug 2026.
- ↑ Masha Borak (20 Jan 2025). "Oosto bought for $125M, far less than $352M raised but 6x annual revenues". Biometric Update. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.
- ↑ Ingrid Lunden (20 Jan 2025). "Confirmed: AI vision startup Metropolis acquires Oosto (formerly known as AnyVision) for just $125M". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.
- ↑ "Oosto Supercharges Growth with Acquisition by Metropolis". Oosto. 22 Jan 2025. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.
- ↑ "Tennessee Attorney General Secures Settlement with Metropolis Parking to Stop Deceptive Practices and Provide Free Parking Program". State of Tennessee Office of the Attorney General. 12 Jan 2026. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.
- ↑ "Attorney General Skrmetti Announces Opening of Claims Process in $6.5 Million Metropolis Parking Settlement". State of Tennessee Office of the Attorney General. 12 Jan 2026. Archived from the original on 9 Aug 2026. Retrieved 9 Aug 2026.