METHOD, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND CHARACTERIZING PARKING EVENTS BASED ON SENSOR DATA

An approach is provided for determining a vehicle parking event and respective characteristics using sensor data. The approach, for example, involves receiving sensor data from at least one sensor associated with a mobile device in a vehicle. The approach also involves processing the sensor data to determine a sequence of semantic events. The semantic events respectively indicate a maneuver performed by the vehicle. The approach further involves processing the sensor data to determine a distance estimation over which at least one of the semantic events is performed. The approach further involves detecting a parking event of the vehicle, a characterization of the parking event, or a combination thereof based on the sequence of semantic events and the distance estimation. The approach further involves providing the parking event, the characterization of the parking event, or a combination thereof as an output.