99.7% accuracy with Quercus Technologies’ camera-based system at Children's Health in Dallas, Texas

Considering the increase of urban population and traffic congestion, smart parking is always a strategic issue to work on, not only for the benefit of clients and their communities, but also from the raw benefit-driven point of view of owners and operators. In this path, companies committed to promote innovation of information and communication technology have played a major role. Quercus Technologies, a company with more than 20 years of experience developing and designing its own smart parking products and services, has contributed to change the way drivers experience parking into a more efficient and satisfying manner. Quercus Technologies’ contribution, its products and services, are all developed in-house, offering a comprehensive Parking Guidance System with powerful technology put on the service of both the operator and the client.

Of course during the last two decades, many different technologies have arisen, and the debate on which should be the most effective of them remains until today. The most popular alternatives to camera-based system are ultrasonics, laser and other similar systems. These are pretty basic. Their capability is simple, they can detect if a vehicle is parked on a space or not, and they are only capable of monitoring one space at a time. Unlike camera-based guidance systems, they are not able of getting any information of the parked cars. They do not read the plate number of the vehicles they detect, so they cannot tell if the detected vehicle is the same or a different one. They cannot inform the client of the whereabouts of their vehicle when they need to find it to leave the premises. They have no information about the journey of the vehicle on the parking lot so they cannot process such information. They can only give a yes or no answer to the question ‘is this space free?’. And nothing else.

How is it then, that some clients still dismiss camera-based systems? Well, some say alternative technologies are very reliable, their detection accuracy being better than the rest. While this was once the case, is it still so? Quercus Technologies, a company understanding the importance of proof to build solid foundations for future growth, has always relied on performing tests in order to lend weight to their arguments. For that reason Quercus Technologies recently performed a test to check the vehicle detection accuracy of their camera-based system, the SC Indoor sensor, on the flagship Dallas Campus of Children's Health. Texas-based NextGen Parking in collaboration with Quercus Technologies installed 990 SC Indoor sensors in the premises, monitoring 3,314 spaces on 19 total parking levels (3 garages). The result obtained was an extraordinary 99.7%, a result that can easily compete with those of ultrasonic sensors.

Some others say it is because of the price of the products. Yes, it is well-known camera-based products are slightly more expensive than ultrasonic sensors and others, at least at first glance. Once you get to the installation things change quite a bit: performing an ultrasonic installation may be more expensive since sensors must be installed in each space, while camera-based sensors cover multiple spaces, resulting in a similar price of both technologies.

In comparison to ultrasonic or laser systems, Quercus Technologies’ guidance system is a comprehensive solution to every need a parking operator may have. In addition to guiding vehicles to free spaces, it offers control and surveillance in every park space, thanks to the use of LPR-technology and detailed event recording. The SC Indoor sensor recognizes the license plate in every space, every unit controlling up to 4 spaces each and offering total control of the vehicle at all times. Meanwhile, video recording is triggered in the case of any event, avoiding not only robberies and assaults but also false claims for damages. 

They inform about different kinds of spaces: for VIPs, people with disabilities, families, etc. They link every event they register to a license plate, returning all related information linked to that plate thanks to its powerful software suite and providing a comprehensive vision of everything happening in the parking lot any time. They provide organized, meaningful data, whenever it is requested by the operator, in order to optimize the parking management and marketing campaigns. 

In conclusion, Quercus Technologies’ customers get every functionality without sacrificing efficiency. All camera-based system implies numerous benefits that are compatible with an extremely high detection rate and accuracy.