Performance Audit of Urban Smart Parking Projects: Operational Efficiency and Social Benefits -- A Case Study of Huizhou, Guangdong

Abstract

Taking the "Hui Bo Che" smart parking project in Huizhou City, Guangdong Province as an example, we construct and apply a
dual-dimensional performance audit evaluation framework with both "operational efficiency" and "social benefits, " using literature research,
public data analysis and online public opinion mining to evaluate comprehensively the technical path choice, management effectiveness and
public service value creation of the project. We find that the lightweight "geomagnetic pluse PDA" model chosen by Huizhou has balanced
cost and efficiency at the beginning phase; the "first 30 minutes free" policy greatly improved the sense of social benefits. It reveals some
deep-rooted problems: poor coordination in "zombie car" governance and uneven progress among different counties level, which reflects the
complex tension between efficiency and benefits during practical operations. Our study offers a specific analytical paradigm and policy implications for other similar cities performing performance audits on their smart parking projects.