Tesla teased a robotic charging arm roughly a decade ago, promising a future where EVs would autonomously plug themselves in overnight. That future never arrived, naturally, but other companies decided someone should actually build the thing. Now Silicon Valley has one, because of course it does.
The Lume residential complex in Menlo Park unveiled its fully automated parking garage late last year, complete with a robotic arm that connects electric vehicles to Level 2 charging stations.
Plugging in an EV takes less than a minute and requires approximately the same skill level as operating a household appliance. But there’s one scenario where manual charging becomes genuinely impossible. Automated parking systems where humans can’t physically access their vehicles. In that narrow context, the robotic solution actually makes sense.
Lume opened in late 2024 with 441 multifamily units spread across two residential buildings. The garage finished construction last year, solving what developers would politely call “challenging site constraints”. FEMA designated the Menlo Park location as a flood zone, prohibiting underground parking. A zoning height limit further squeezed available parking space. The solution was a three-level automated parking system delivering over 450 spots, the first of its kind in a US residential complex.
Drivers drop their vehicles at the garage entrance and walk away. The system handles everything else, shuttling cars to available spots via automated platforms. EV owners request charging sessions through a smartphone app. If a charging station sits empty, the system relocates the vehicle, and the Swiss-engineered Sofetin robotic arm connects the Level 2 cable. Once the battery reaches the desired charge level, the car gets unplugged and moved to a standard spot, freeing the charging station for the next vehicle in queue.
Sofetin designed the automated parking system while California-based Parkworks handled installation. Heller Manus Architects designed the residential buildings, and Watry Design engineered the parking infrastructure. Amenities include co-working spaces, a pool, and a yoga studio. Standard Silicon Valley residential fare.
Monthly rent starts at roughly $3,300 for the cheapest unit available. So yes, you can live in a building where a robot charges your electric vehicle while you sleep. You just need to afford Silicon Valley pricing first.
