Smart parking systems are showing up more frequently in commercial parking garages, lots, and other facilities. These innovative systems offer many benefits, such as real-time vehicle monitoring and spot availability. If you’re wondering how smart parking systems track open spots in garages and lots, keep reading to understand more about the technology.
Vehicle Detection Sensors
Vehicle detection sensors help track the number of cars that enter and leave a building, which is important data for calculating open spots. In smart parking garages, there are a certain number of available spaces, so knowing how many cars enter and leave can allow your system to calculate the remaining number of spots. This information can be used in your parking app or other notification systems for customers.
Building designers can incorporate vehicle detection sensors into a parking facility in several ways. In-ground sensors are discreet and effective at tracking vehicles entering and exiting your building. Surface mount sensors and overhead indicator sensors are more visible but equally as effective.
Camera Detection
Camera detection is another type of system parking garages use to monitor open spaces. These parking garage cameras record every floor of the facility to track vehicles and open spots. Specialized software is required to analyze the number of open spaces and project this data into your smart parking system. If your facility utilizes fully automated parking systems or other structures, you can also affix cameras to posts, light poles, and more. This is also important when using smart parking services for lots and field parking.
Other Components for Real-Time Parking Tracking
Smart parking systems also require inventory tracking systems to compile and project open spot data. These components usually consist of parking management servers, hardware platforms (such as sensors or cameras above), and a mobile app for a home base. Many smart parking systems also feature fully automated parking systems and their corresponding technology, which helps expand parking availability for any kind of lot or facility.
These are some of the basics of how smart parking systems track open spots. If you’re interested in learning more about smart parking and fully automated parking systems, browse our website here at Harding Steel. We provide parking systems for commercial businesses, venues, and more.