Abstract: A parking system is described. The system includes a parking tower. The parking tower includes at least two levels and a vertical passageway. A vehicle gripping system is provided. The vehicle gripping system includes a 5 vertical lift frame vertically movable in the passageway. The vehicle gripping system also includes a horizontal slide frame slidably coupled to the vertical lift frame and horizontally movable relative to the vertical lift frame and across each level. A sliding wheel gripper is slidably coupled to and extending downwards from the horizontal slide frame, for releasably gripping a vehicle 10 by gripping the wheels of the vehicle. The sliding wheel gripper is longitudinally slidable along the horizontal slide frame between a release position and a gripping position.