Parking detection makes sense

Searching for available parking is a common source of frustration for motorists. Aimlessly driving around, competing for parking is a waste of both time and fuel.  In an era of seemingly endless technological developments, it’s logical to assume that there must be a better way. Now there is.

 SENSIT, a wireless vehicle detection sensor

Capable of delivering real time parking guidance for visitors, the new SENSIT wireless sensor from Nedap AVI solves this problem. Once installed, SENSIT creates a network of wireless vehicle detection sensors that detect occupancy at each individual parking spot so that information can be relayed to drivers. This clever parking technology delivers benefits such as better traffic flow, reduced pollution, and last but not least, reduced frustration for drivers.

Optimize parking occupancy within cities
In many cities the majority of parking is to be found on-street. Often, on-street parking spaces are part of public space, situated within the city’s infrastructure. But until now, availability of parking was an “eyes on” operation that was both cumbersome and inefficient.  Now with the advent of SENSIT, information about available parking can be accessed remotely, and guidance to available parking can be delivered via smartphones, the internet, and dynamic signage.

Plus, municipalities understand that improving their parking facilities by implementing a system that counts and reports parking occupancy is not only part of greater service for its visitors, and resident shopkeepers, but also provides organizational benefits to  the city itself. Parking spaces can be effectively optimized and administrators can, in addition to employing dynamic parking rates in response to peak times, inspect the actual parking time of vehicles, accurately, efficiently and remotely.

   Guidance to available parking spaces via dynamic signage

How it works
The wireless SENSIT sensors are mounted into each parking space and are powered by an internal battery that has a lifetime of up to ten years. The sensors in the parking lot communicate wirelessly with centrally mounted relay nodes, which relay the information directly to the central parking guidance system. Each sensor uses both an infrared eye and a magnetic field to detect vehicle presence, making the output both very reliable and real-time. This dual-sensor technology and a special detection algorithm ensure high accuracy of occupancy detection.

Ease of installation
In the past, to get reliable and accurate data about the number of available parking spaces, administrators faced the limitations of traditional counting methods, such as ground loops cut into the pavement. But ground loops are labor intensive and expensive to install.  They also require an external power source and must be connected to the electrical grid.  SENSIT requires none of this.

The SENSIT technology is easy to install into any existing car park infrastructure. And because is it a completely wireless solution, a small amount of construction work is needed.

  The wireless sensors are mounted into each parking space

The SENSIT technology has already been deployed in parking lots and street stalls around the world. And more guidance related applications are possible. Applications such as for parking in urban areas and malls, but also in locations such as airports, amusement parks, loading docks, and seaports are perfect opportunities to employ this technology. But what about truck parking along highways?

Truck parking along highways
In the interest of safety and efficiency, truck drivers must adhere to strict travel and rest times. With access to such real-time occupancy information, truckers may quickly and accurately search for a place to rest, eat, or stay without having to incur delays by exiting the roadway to do so. Then timely information about the current parking situation on their route is needed.

  Vehicle detection sensor at truck parking along highway

Basically, any situation where cars are parked extensively throughout the day (and night) are suitable for the installation of the SENSIT. And it is easily to integrate SENSIT with existing parking guidance applications that are already implemented to guide traffic to available spaces.

This new way of parking can become a reality with SENSIT provided by Nedap AVI. The impact on the level of parking service for visitors with this solution is tremendous. Such smart parking at once benefits better traffic flow, reduced pollution and reduces frustration of drivers.