Latest Tech In Sensors & Licence Plate Recognition In Car Parks

With parking emerging as one of the biggest challenges in urban environments around the world, civic designers and planners are working overtime to crack this problem. Cities are getting more congested, and current infrastructure is getting less and less able to cope with the demands placed on it. Parking is an urgent necessity, and the woeful lack of it in both large and small cities leads to frustration, unplanned use of land, pollution due to congestion and motor-vehicle idling and huge costs. 

Cities around the world have begun looking at tech based innovations and digital solutions along with out-of-the-box strategies. Tokyo for instance has introduced vertical stacking parking to optimize the use of space. Solar powered car parks are emerging all over Australia. Finland has chosen to go underground with their car parks in Helsinki, while Silicon Valley and San Francisco have leveraged their tech expertise to use smart apps that give real time data on available parking. 

Urban gardens, alternative use of parking areas as community centers, EV charging stations, flying car docking areas, e-commerce hubs, docking for autonomous vehicles and more are what the future parking area could look like a decade from now. 

While all these solutions address the problem squarely, there is much still left to be done. Especially at airports where the need for parking is increasing fast. An example of this is at Tullamarine airport in Melbourne where 5 new large scale car parks have been built in the last 5 years using the latest technology. For more information, browse United Airport Parking Melbourne.

Sensors and License Plate Recognition

Automatic number plate recognition or license plate recognition was first launched in the UK in 1976. However, it had limited use and was not very affordable for general use. By the 1990s, as technology became cheaper and wider in scope, license plate recognition gained popularity. 

This technology uses the ability to grab video or images from license plates of a vehicle. This data is then transformed into digital information in real time. The technology was initially used exclusively for investigation and accident cases, but today, it is most widely deployed in ticketless parking whether onsite or roadside parking, in toll plazas, smart billing, and more. The system uses light and an infra-red camera to capture images of the front or back of the vehicle. The image is then processed by an image analysis software to deduce license plate information. 

There are several great advantages in using the license plate recognition system. It saves time and effort allowing the free movement of vehicles without any blocks or bottlenecks. The virtual ticket that is generated has to match the actual license plate of the vehicle, hence it prevents theft or fraud at both entry and exit. 

It helps to map areas of congestion, identify and locate blocks or slow moving traffic, and also map out pedestrian usage. Car parking companies can use them to speed up processes and make parking entry, payment and exit more efficient and smooth. 

Parking sensors are another innovation that can provide huge benefits to parking companies. Today, they combine cloud technology with sensors and wireless connectivity. They could be a mix of in-ground vehicle sensors, magnetometers, infrared sensors, ToF (time of flight) sensors, ultrasonic sensors, or radar ranging sensors. Designers of these systems may use a combination of sensors to optimize efficiency and reduce costs. For instance, areas that experience tropical evergreen climate can use a combination of magnetometer and radar. If yours is a geography that experiences snow or heavy fall of foliage in autumn, you can use radar sensors. 

Advantages of Using Technology in Car Parks

Technology is pushing the limits of speed and efficiency in car parking management systems. It has resulted in greater safety, better user experience, smoother traffic flow and better revenues. 

License plate recognition has reduced chances of fraud and theft, and ensured swifter payment, entry and exit of vehicles. Automated systems reduce dependence on labor and are available 24×7 with no breaks, downtime or reduction in performance. This system enables cashless payments and collection and analysis of big data for planning and improving infrastructure. 

Finding and using a parking space quickly has a big impact on reducing environmental pollution and wastage of fuel. Since drivers can quickly and safely identify the nearest parking slot their frustration levels are automatically lowered. This has an impact on safety as drivers can become distracted while hunting for an available space. 

Many of these systems can be bundled together to create newer and more innovative solutions. For instance, reward and loyalty programs, deals and discounts, app-based payment solutions and dynamic rates can be incorporated.