It's an incredible machine that appears to be both fast and easy to use. The rider places his bike in the trench. The machine grabs the bike, lowers it down a central shaft to a designated spot, and parks the bike there. When the owner returns, he swipes and electronic card and the machine reverses the process, returning the bicycle.
This locker system is in Kyoto, a city that Rocket News 24 tells us is ideal for bicycle travel. The system costs about $3.61 million each. So at this point, it's affordable only for areas where bicycles are a major form of transportation.
-via Twisted Sifter