Parking technology opinion Getting the job done Traffic has returned to pre-pandemic levels and with it has come the associated competition for a parking space. As a result, more businesses are turning to smart parking technology to understand levels of demand and keep traffic moving, writes Vincent Lemage, business development manager, AutoVu, Genetec utomatic number plate recognition (ANPR) has evolved quite a bit over the past five years. Initially, it was used simply to read number plates. Nowadays, the technology is used to provide data intelligence. Parking managers can gain valuable insights from it, such as turnover ratio and occupancy statistics based on date and time, allowing them to manage staffing and set A rules and pricing based on different times or days of the week. Overall parking experiences have also evolved, as monitoring and managing parking behaviours is facilitated by the data provided by ANPR systems. A facility can optimise parking by attributing multiple zones to targeted users. The parking landscape is no longer a matter of staff versus visitors there are contractors, tenants, customers, service providers and others Using ANPR for parking management is an effective way to improve customer service 26 who need to be considered when defining parking policies. Using ANPR for parking management is also an effective way to improve customer service. These intelligent systems can, for instance, be used in conjunction with delayed payment options in car parks or at event venues, allowing motorists to get straight to a space without waiting in a long queue. This improves the visitor experience by keeping traffic flowing and avoiding entrance bottlenecks. On-street parking offering Optimising on-street parking is also possible. Based on intelligence provided by ANPR devices on city streets, municipalities can define various zones, or introduce a set of rules based on time and date data. For instance, they can define whether a section of a street should be used for long-stay parking, as a delivery zone, or as a drop-off-only zone. Depending on city rules and regulations, central enforcement can be an option, too. ANPR features such as digital chalking can help parking officers complete patrols faster and enforce multiple parking rules simultaneously. Data captured can also aid in defining routes based on peak occupancy, reduce ticketing disputes, and automatically identify people with unpaid parking tickets. With the right parking management solutions, businesses can improve customer satisfaction and streamline operations, all while seeing a return on investment. So, whether you are managing parking on-street, off-street, or both, an ANPR system helps get the job done.