What are some of your biggest hurdles when it comes to tracking traffic? If your answers include the challenge of accurately accounting for capacity in any given moment or having a handle on your current utilization, FlashVision can help. FlashVision is our machine learning-based suite of camera-tracking products designed to streamline the parking experience. It’s meant to track parkers quicker and eliminate duplication or other issues.
A portion of our FlashFuture ‘21 event (check it out here if you haven’t yet) was dedicated to showing off how FlashVision can accomplish these goals and what we see for the future. First, we’ll explain all about FlashVision.
What Is FlashVision?
FlashVision is part of our answer for outdated parking systems everywhere. It’s an efficient tracking, counting, and data system based on artificial intelligence (AI) that requires less upfront capital expenses to get started. Strike that—it requires much less upfront costs. The reason for this is that FlashVision requires no trigger loops. This makes it much more easily “plug-and-play” than other camera systems, which often require loops installed underground to communicate with the camera.
The system hinges on a camera that’s connected to the cloud and can communicate with your other systems, including our Flash IQ intelligence software. This camera can perform multiple functions while being able to be updated with new features as we release them. FlashVision makes it so much easier to know the in’s and out’s of your daily operations—pun intended.
What Can FlashVision Do?
FlashVision is an exciting step towards the future. At the moment, it specializes in license plate recognition (LPR) and car-counting technology. It does both of these actions with 95 percent and 98 percent accuracy, respectively—a number we’re actively working on increasing as we advance the technology.
With our LPR technology, FlashVision can transmit information about a license plate to a parking kiosk, making the transmission of data seamless for an ultimately easier transaction. LPR can also work across different types of light conditions and learn as it goes. This means it adjusts due to its machine learning capabilities. An example of this learning is FlashVision utilizing a larger “view box” than just the license plate. It can learn to identify a certain car by accessories, stickers, or even dents. This reduces error and allows cars to be identified even if the license plate is accidentally obscured.
FlashVision’s car-counting system extends across surface lots (one camera for up to 100 spaces), side streets, entry/exits, and multi-level assets. The car-counting capability can count cars and people, and can also recognize speed. This opens the floor to know exactly who is in your vicinity.
Now that you know what FlashVision does, here are some ways it can make things more efficient and modernize your processes.
Track Through the Cloud
We’ve spoken extensively about the cloud and how we benefit from running on a multi-tenant cloud system. The FlashVision camera is also connected to the Flash cloud-based system. That means that all the data captured by the camera is fed to your core Flash system. It’s one more step towards total integration between each element of your software. You benefit from this because you’ll be able to view your data more easily and make smarter decisions.
If you notice certain types of cars come in, then you can prepare or adjust accordingly—more on this point soon. If you also see different peak times than you’re expecting, you can potentially find other use cases for your space during off-peak hours. All the data in your cloud is available to use for optimizing the use of your space.
Learn More About Your Customers
Do you have a strong idea about who’s traveling in and out each day? An enhanced camera-tracking system can help you read between the lines to make new decisions that can increase the value of your service. For example, if more electric vehicles (EV) are reported and seen than you had anticipated, you can begin to reassess your commitment towards EV and potentially install new charging stations. Going deeper, you might also notice there are more Teslas, which means a very specific type of charger.
FlashVision can mark a bigger area than just the license plate and use other identifiers for your customers’ vehicles. This can potentially open up a world of possibilities. For example, FlashVision can capture items like bike racks hanging over the back of a car. Using this information and the frequency of these types of items, you might be convinced to introduce a micro-mobility station to your asset, such as a scooter or bike rack. The opportunities are vast to explore based on who you’re seeing coming through your doors.
Save Your Costly Infrastructure Investments
Unlike many other camera-based technologies, our systems don’t require you to dig up cement or pavement to install sensors and loops. In the past, systems like these have required a lot of lead-time and decision-making to get underway. However, FlashVision makes it easy. We keep everything you need above ground so you can save money and look elsewhere to make more costly investments.
Another way FlashVision saves money is because it can be upgraded remotely. Since it’s connected to the cloud, it receives over-the-air updates like other Flash equipment. This means a plug-and-play product that keeps on giving.
Upgrade the Way You Register Parkers
A concept we’ve spoken of from time to time has been the idea of the car itself being the access key. This means that when a customer enters a parking asset, it’s their specific vehicle that provides the credential, which leads to a much more specific and unique way to recognize a parker. The future of FlashVision, and we’re well underway now, includes a customer’s vehicle and license plate data being instantly read and processed with a kiosk upon entry and exit.
Imagine a totally frictionless and contactless parking experience for your customers. They won’t have to interact with kiosks, because their car’s identity will already be in the system. And for transient parkers, the result will be similar.
Where FlashVision Is Going
Currently, FlashVision is active and deployed across 11 locations, including 60,000 processed cars. This includes LPR and car-counting technology. We’re constantly upgrading our technology to be more accurate and advantageous for parking operators.
During FlashFuture ‘21, we teased Signature—our next innovation using FlashVision technology. This product and service will extend the powers of FlashVision by uncovering new ways to track vehicles and provide that data back to the operator. We’re working on launching Signature during Q3 of 2021.
In the meantime, we welcome any operators who want to learn more, as well as test and adapt FlashVision and all of its capabilities. To become part of this special cohort, you can easily request a demo from our team and see it in action.
Click here to schedule a demo and see the benefits of FlashVision.
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