Parking
On-Street Parking
The Very First On-Street parking control project in U.A.E was implemented in Dubai in 1995, with just 40#s Pay & Display Parking Machines controlling a small zone of Dubai i.e. Al Ras in Deira. To date, Energy International has successfully implemented over 6,600#s High Quality Solar Powered Pay & Display Parking Machines in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi & recently in Khorfakkan. Most of these machines have already been upgraded to SMART Models that are equipped with New Technical Compartment Doors hosting Linux OS based CPU, 8” INDUSTRIAL Color Touchscreen Display, 4G/LTE Modem communicating with the Upgraded Parking Central Management System PCMS4 and L3 System. However, some older machines that have not been upgraded continue to communicate with their respective Parking Central Management Ssyetm and L3 System using GSM/GPRS modems for real-time monitoring and control.
The Upgraded Solar Powered SMART Machines and New SMART Solar Powered Multi-Purpose Citi-Hubs implemented in Sharjah and recently in Khorfakkan can be further upgraded to host Optional Contactless Credit / Debit Card Readers (supporting Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay) and Optional 2D Barcode (QR Code) Readers. The e ticket functionality on these SMART machines requires users to key in their vehicle license plate details as part of the transaction and they are not required to display their receipts of the dashboards of their vehicles as their vehicle plate details along with expiry time of their ticket has already been communicated to the backend system.
In addition, users have the option whether to print the receipt or not which is an environment friendly initiative. The e ticket functionality is a prerequisite to automate the parking enforcement process using Scan Cars as described in another section. Also,
Over the years, our manufacturers i.e. Messrs. Automaten Technik Baumann Gmbh, Germany and MCS Micronic Computer Systeme GmbH, Germany have put in an extensive amount of research and development into designing and manufacturing the highest quality of Solar Powered Parking Machines and SMART Solar Powered Multi-Purpose Citi-Hubs that are certified by the RST Laboratories in Berlin , Germany and are proven to perform satisfactorily under the harsh environmental conditions prevailing in Middle East. Our SMART Solar Powered Multi-Purpose Citi-Hubs are manufactured using the highest quality of V4A corrosion resistant stainless steel and have an IP54 Degree of Ingress Protection. Our machines have successfully passed all relevant environment and EMV tests conducted at RST Laboratories, Berlin, Germany as follows: Mechanical Vibration along all 3 axes, Temperature & Humidity (55 deg. C @ 95% Relative Humidity), Dry Heat @ 70 deg. C, Cold @ 0 deg. C, Water & Dust Ingress (IP54), Salt Mist (Corrosion Resistance), EMV, Solar Radiation for 110,000 lux of sunlight.
Our Pay & Display machines in Dubai have been fully integrated into the City-wide Unified Automated Fare Collection (UAFC) system allowing the use of 'Nol' Mifare DESFire contactless cards to pay for parking on our machines in Dubai. This functionality aloows users to use one card for travel via Metro, Public Bus, Waterbus, Tram and also to pay for parking. Our older machines that are operational in Abu Dhabi hybrid card readers to accept Magnetic Stripe Credit / Debit Cards for a minimum transaction value of AED 15 in addition to accepting magstripe rechargeable cards.
SMART Parking Guidance System
In 2017, the SMART Parking Guidance System was successfully implemented in 2 Areas of Dubai - Al Regga Area (Al Ras) and Trade Centre Area 1 (Sheikh Zayed Road). As part of this project, In-ground Battery Powered Sensors along with auxiliary components (for data communication to the backend system) have been implemented in Al Regga Area and Mains Powered Overhead Sensors have been implemented in Trade Centre Area 1.
These sensors gather and communicate the raw parking occupancy data to the PGS backend that processes the data and pushes the parking spaces availability data in any particular sub-zone to Dynamic Message Signs implemented on site and also to the RTA Smart App. This helps the users to check the availability of parking spaces in any particular sub-zone covered by the SMART Parking Guidance System before they drive to the zone. The objective of the SMART Parking Guidance System is to help users find available parking spaces without requiring them to go around the zone looking for a parking space.
While this project is user friendly as it helps users to find available parking spaces, it is also an environmentally friendly initiative that drastically reduces carbon emissions by reducing the number of vehicles driving around looking for available parking spaces.
Scan Cars & Digital Parking Enforcement Platform
Conventional Parking Control & Parking Enforcement Systems require Parking Inspectors to go physically go around looking at the dashboards of all parked vehicles for valid parking tickets. In the absence of valid ticket on a vehicle dashboard, the parking inspector would key in the vehicle license plate on his Android mobile phone having the inspection app and query the Parking Fine Management System for available parking rights of the queried vehicle license plate. The Parking Fine Management System shall respond to the query if a valid parking right exists or not. In case, a valid parking right does not exist, the parking inspector shall issue the applicable parking fine to that vehicle.
Scan Cars with Digital Parking Enforcement Platform increase the efficiency of conventional parking enforcement. The Scan Car is equipped with 4#s High Quality ANPR Cameras, Processor & Toughbook. The Scan Car shall read and communicate the license plate readings to the Digital Parking Enforcement Platform (interfaced with all parking rights backend systems) shall check the parking rights of each license plate with various parking rights backend systems (Parking Central Management System, Parking Fine System & Parking Permits System) and shall communicate to the parking fines to be issued (post 10 minutes grace period) to the follow-up app that is hosted on handhelds used by parking inspectors. The follow up app shall inform the parking inspector the license plate number, image and GPS co-ordinates of the vehicle in contravention along with the category of parking fine to be issued.
This project was successfully completed by us for in November, 2020. While 2 additional scan cars are currently being implemented, we have developed the Digital Parking Enforcement Platform in-house in order to serve our customers better and to promptly support them on their requirements without having to depend on an external entity. We have also developed the follow-up app in-house to be used by parking inspectors.
Off-Street Parking Control System
In September 1988, Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai awarded EI the contract for the Design, Supply, Installation, Testing, Commissioning and Maintenance of Off-Street Parking Control System at the Dubai International Airport with 2,500 spaces. This project included 7#s Ticket Issue Machines with Entry Barriers & 5#s Cashier Stations with Exit Barriers and a Central Management Computer to handle car flow statistical data analysis including financial reports etc.
The barriers were manufactured by Stanley, USA and the Ticket Issue Machines, Ticket Validators, Exit Cashier Stations, Remote Data Concentrator and Central Management Computer Software were manufactured and developed by Godwin Warren Engineering, U.K. This project was successfully completed by EI in December 1989. This was the First Off-Street Parking Control Project implemented in the Middle East!
In March 1995, Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai awarded EI Contract TD64 for the Design, Supply, Installation, Testing, Commissioning & One Year Maintenance of Ticket Transports on the above mentioned 7#s Entry & 5#s Exit Terminals at the Dubai International Airport. This project included the replacement of all 12#s Ticket Transports, upgrade of Central Management Computer and 24x7 Preventive & Breakdown Maintenance Support for One Year.
This project was successfully completed by EI in March 1996. Upon completion of this project, EI proved to the Department of Civil Aviation (with supporting documentary evidence) that, the system fault rate reduced by 40% while it was being supported and maintained by EI. The Ticket Transports, Central Management & LAN software were manufactured and developed by FKI Wellman Parking Technology, UK.