With the increasing demand for car parks in every sector, ensuring all the cars are fitted effectively has become extremely important. However, there are instances when finding an empty spot in a huge car park gets difficult. This makes the entire parking process frustrating as motorists have to spend considerable time driving around a car park aimlessly, looking for a vacant space to park their vehicles.
Nevertheless, technology advancements have provided a solution to this hassle known as Parking Guidance System. These systems are designed specifically for motorists to find their way through the car park. This way, parking guidance systems facilitate a safer and more efficient parking process.
What is a Parking Guidance System?
A Parking Guidance System is a form of technology that provides motorists with real-time information concerning the availability and occupation of parking spots in a car parking facility. It acts as an advanced car counting or vehicle detection technology that facilitates vehicle circulation within a car park.
Some parking guidance systems also provide specific information on unoccupied parking spots. For instance, along with how many vacant parking spaces are available, it will also indicate where those parking spots are located. With the help of this information, motorists can find the open spaces more quickly.
Parking guidance systems also come with a “Find Your Car” option that helps motorists locate their parked vehicle at the time of returning. Motorists need to type in their vehicle plate number, and the system will inform them where their vehicle has been parked.
Key components of Parking Guidance System
Listed below are the key components of a parking guidance system, so let’s look at it.
1) Signs: Using signages is a core part of enabling motorists to find an open space in a car parking structure. They provide parking information throughout the journey.
2) Detectors: These systems dictate if there is a space in the car park. Detectors inform when a vehicle is in the space and when it has left it.
3) Indicators: These are LED lights above a vacant spot that indicate where your vehicle can be parked. A green light is used for an empty spot and a red one for an unavailable spot.
4) Control Systems: Fundamentally, this is the hub where the information is gathered and distributed to other elements. This collected data about cars and free parking spots is thus passed to the signs and then to the motorists.
5) Network Link: This technology differs from model to model, but the core is that the whole system and parking spaces are linked to communicate real-time data.
How does a Parking Guidance System work?
Using a combination of communication, traffic monitoring, and information processing technologies, Parking Guidance Systems help motorists find parking spaces effortlessly.
When a vehicle enters a car park, the system will scan its front and back vehicle number plate with two ANPR cameras in place. After this, the motorists will pay and receive their tickets. Once they have paid at the entrance, the barrier will lift, allowing the vehicle to enter the premises. As the vehicle moves forward into the car park, it will pass by an ultrasonic directional sensor to collect information that another vehicle has entered the vicinity. Variable Message Signs direct the motorists to the open spaces.
Once the vehicle has been parked, special sensors pick up the vehicle in the car park and reduce the number of empty spaces available. The LED will often change from green to red, indicating that the area has been taken. The adaptive lighting sensors will also show a blue light that means that a given spot is reserved for disabled motorists.
When the motorist leaves the car park, the vehicle’s location will be saved in a temporary database. Upon returning to the car park, the Parking Guidance Systems will help the driver ‘Find My Car’ via the pay stations in the car park. When the car gets entirely out of the space, the parking spot will be marked as free/ vacant again, and a new vehicle will be directed there.
Benefits of Parking Guidance System
The Parking Guidance Systems offer a plethora of benefits. Some of them are mentioned below:
a) Reduces costs
The parking guidance system helps reduce overall cost usage of labour and signs. It provides a digital display that changes consistently with the driver; hence there is no need to hire staff to guide the driver to the empty spaces. It includes information about all the vacant spaces thus, ensuring that the car park is fully utilised.
b) Enhances customer satisfaction
Car parking facilities that install a parking guidance system typically report enhanced customer satisfaction almost immediately. These systems help car park operators improve the customer’s experience by saving their time and stress and ensuring return business.
c) Decreases traffic congestion
These systems are incredibly beneficial for decreasing traffic congestion. As these systems indicate where parking spots are available within an area, motorists won’t have to drive aimlessly looking for a free parking space. As a result, drivers can enter and exit the car park more quickly, thus improving traffic flow.
d) User Friendly
The LED display real-time data helps motorists park their vehicles quickly and faster than usual, thus reducing hassle and boosting comfort. This system organises the information so that every user can easily read and understand the data and pass through the system.
e) Optimal utilisation of car park
The parking guidance systems help motorists by managing the spaces in the car park. Every section is counted and checked repeatedly for vacant parking spots. In this way, besides assisting motorists in realising the empty parking spaces, these systems also analyse how these spaces can be used to the fullest, hence resulting in optimal utilisation of car parks.
How Can Euro Parking Services Help You?
At Euro Parking Services, we provide various efficient solutions to cater to the needs and requirements of your car park. By making your car parking facility more accessible, you can enhance your customers’ parking experience. Our highly proficient team will work closely with you, providing you with bespoke solutions that effectively support your car park. To learn more about our services, please contact us today at 0845 121 0065. We will be happy to help you.