MSR-Traffic: Parking Lot Monitoring at Discount Store in Riga, Latvia

In the future, parking lot monitoring is to counteract third-party and long-term parking in customer parking lots. Many international supermarket chains are now taking parking lot monitoring into their own hands. Whereas it used to be private companies that monitored the parking lots, parking lot surveillance is now carried out by cameras. Signs clarifying the parking rules and threatening fines are posted as well. This is the case at the car park outside a well-known discount food retailer in Riga.

New technology of parking lot monitoring

The new CAMO camera technology uses two lenses in each camera to detect occupancy status. Four cameras were installed for parking lot monitoring in Riga, analysing day and night without a problem. The data collected is seamlessly transmitted to the cloud, allowing different users to access it easily and use it effectively.

Advantages of camera technology

• Cost savings over ground sensors (in this example, only 4 cameras are needed instead of 80 ground sensors)
• Extra added value (cameras can be used as a monitoring system – preventing theft/damage to cars)
• Recording/analysis compliant with data protection laws
• Accurate und realible parking lot monitoring
• Fast data recording and transmission
• Easy and quick plug-in assembly
• Robust in every environment: -40 to 65 °C, IP66 and IK10

Guiding the vehicles with LED MATRIX technology

The Riga discount store offers another 50 parking spaces in a covered structure in addition to its outdoor car park so customers have a choice.

An LED matrix display at each entrance shows how many spots are available.

Displays and traffic signs help make the search for a parking spot more dynamic and show where open spots are in real time. The dynamic LED matrix displays have flat, modern designs. Digits, arrows and symbols can be configured as desired. All displays are able to be combined with conventional traffic signs and can be equipped with optional wireless communication technology by MSR-Traffic.

Vehicle counting for entrances and exits with FLOWI ultrasonic technology

Vehicles are counted at entrances and exits to determine open spots in the covered parking structure – and to provide a simultaneous visualisation in real time on the LED MATRIX displays. Two groups of sensors continuously determine spacing. A vehicle passing through gives a typical height profile.

The two groups of sensors further allow the direction in which it is driving to be reliably detected, along with the difference between one vehicle and another driving closely behind it.

Two adjacent sensors are synchronised by means of a direct connection to prevent errors in measurement. Vehicles and the directions in which they are driving are detected in real time. The information is transmitted via two relays to a counter or can be queried via the serial interface.

New technologies from MSR-Traffic for covered car parks provide economical and sustainable parking space solutions. Technological innovations for parking space management are a crucial step on the road to smart and sustainable mobility.

About MSR-Traffic 

MSR-Traffic offers innovative sensor technology that enables counting and single-place detection of vehicles in indoor and outdoor applications. Drivers are quickly guided to the next available parking space via dynamic traffic control technology or via an app. In addition to the development, production, and sales of intelligent parking guidance systems, MSR also provides support in planning and installation on site. www.msr-traffic.de