Meta Carparks Inc. is an expanding, extended stay airport car parking corporation that currently uses a paper-based, pay-and-display system. Typically, customers stay in the car park for 7-14 days. Meta would like to extend their services to commuters who may need a place to park for most of the day.
Current System Challenges
- Manual Monitoring: The current system requires a parking warden to patrol the car park to find vehicles without displayed or expired tickets. This requires 24/7 monitoring.
- Safety Concerns: Wardens often receive abusive comments and sometimes get hurt while disputing fines.
- Long Hours: Wardens have long working hours and must work all day.
Requirements for the New System
Meta Carparks Inc. has requested a fully digitalized system that eliminates the need for wardens and avoids the use of paper or ink for creating tickets. The new system should provide a contactless experience, which is particularly relevant due to the recent Covid-19 outbreak.
Proposed Solution
I am going to create a full-stack system that is fully computerized and automated to provide a hands-free experience. The system will include the following features:
- User Accounts: Customers can create an account and log in via the web to prepay for car parking.
- Contact-Free Payment: Payments cannot be made at the car park, ensuring a contact-free experience.
- Data Storage: The system will store data even after it has been shut down at the end of the day.
- User-Friendly Design: The system will be modern and easy to use, accessible via the internet. The design must be self-explanatory to prevent customer confusion when purchasing tickets.
Technical Specifications
- Camera Integration: The system will use cameras with object recognition software to identify number plates at the entry and exit points.
- Automated Barriers: Cameras will be connected to a computer that processes the information, checking the database for number plate validity. If the information is correct, an Arduino will send a signal to open the barriers. If the information is invalid, the barriers will not open.
- Centralized Server: A centralized server will store all user and vehicle data.
- Management System: A management system will be required to check for issues in the database. This will include tools for searching the database, inserting, deleting, and updating records.
What I created: