Technology is taking over every aspect of our existence, and parking is no exception. Almost every driver can remember the days without parking technology, wherein we had no choice but to aimlessly drive around looking for a spot. Not only this, but we had to keep our change on standby, ready for parking payments. To that avail, the whole parking process was somewhat inconvenient.
For that reason, the industry has been reinvigorated to make parking easier than it ever has been. Detailed below are some of the latest parking technology solutions to make the lives of motorists so much easier.
ANPR
First up are ANPR systems, which stand for automatic number plate recognition. With ANPR, the motorist hardly has to do anything when it comes to parking payment. They simply have to drive into the car park and pay for their stay at the end; the software will do the rest. In simple terms, an ANPR system will recognize a car’s license plate and will record the amount of time the vehicle remains in the car park. This will then generate a charge that the motorist must pay at the end of their stay.
Payment Kiosks
Once upon a time, employees were required to man payment kiosks; however, times have since changed. Today, we have standalone kiosks that don’t require anyone to operate them. The beauty of modern payment kiosks is that they accept any payment mode, meaning motorists aren’t required to rummage for loose change to make payments for their parking. This is an essential step in the right direction when considering the limited number of people that now carry cash. Similarly, eliminating physical staff makes 24-hour parking options much more realistic.
Data Usage
It’s no secret that the operation of almost anything these days relies on the collection of data. In terms of parking, this data is used to optimize the parking experience. This is achieved by measuring the typical length of time that vehicles remain in a car park, in addition to other measures. One of the biggest advantages of this is that it allows companies to set accurate parking charges. As a result, companies will be able to compete with their competitors while still making a considerable profit. This balance is important to a successful car park.
Virtual Permit Management
In some parking locations, motorists must have permits to park in the location. When there are a number of individuals with permits, it can be difficult for the car park to manage all of these. That’s where virtual permit management comes in to seamlessly do so. Virtual permit management also allows for the management of various different permit types. This also contributes to the collection of data, allowing car park owners to assess how they best use their car parks. Ultimately, the entire process is streamlined for motorists and car park owners alike.
Cashless Payments
Lastly, parking technology facilitates cashless payments, which are integral to the parking industry. Without cashless payments, more and more motorists would find themselves unable to pay for their parking, which would land them in serious trouble. Therefore, the parking industry has had to make it easier for motorists by offering alternative payment options that don’t rely on cash. This helps ensure they get paid and that motorists don’t find themselves in trouble. In such a busy industry, car park owners want to be able to make as much profit as possible, and cashless payments help make this possible.
What parking advancements have you noticed in recent years? Have they made your life easier?
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