SMART AND EFFICIENT PARKING SYSTEMS

WITH IOT INTEGRATION

ANUPRABHA S1, DHAKSHANYA S2, DHARANI K3, HEMADHARSHINI G4.
1,2,3,4
VSB ENGINEERING COLLEGE, KARUR- 639 111.
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],

ABSTRACT: purchases, particularly in countries with

large populations such as China and India.
The world's growing population has made
Until 2019, there was a notable uptick in
finding parking spaces a daunting task.
car acquisitions, searching for parking
With an increase in car ownership,
spaces a daunting task. However, the onset
innovative solutions are essential, and one
of the COVID-19 pandemic at the close of
promising technology is the IoT-based
2019 triggered global alarm and
smart parking system. This system aims to
subsequently led to a reduction in car
minimize the time spent searching for a
purchases. These circumstances
parking spot, making it user-friendly while
collectively fueled the development of
saving fuel and reducing stress. It uses
innovative solutions, with the IoT-based
sensors to process data and sends it to the
smart parking system emerging as a
cloud, accessible via a mobile app. The
promising response to the evolving
system also controls access to the parking
challenges. The core objective of the IoT-
lot entrance when full. Traditional methods
based smart parking system is to provide
for finding parking spaces manually are
users with a streamlined approach to
inefficient, leading to the development of
tracking parking availability, especially in
an IoT-enabled system using low-cost
congested areas. The comprehensive
RFID tags. These tags detect vehicle
hardware setup includes essential
presence or absence, providing real-time
components like IR sensors, Arduino
information to motorists through a mobile
Mega, an RFID reader module, a display,
app. This cost-effective solution optimizes
DC motor, and ESP 8266. By connecting
parking space utilization and contributes to
seamlessly to the cloud through IoT, this
a more sustainable and efficient urban
system facilitates the wireless transmission
environment.
of data from various sensors, enhancing
Index Terms---- IoT, RFID reader, accessibility for users. The integration of
Arduino mega, WiFi module, DC motor. IoT concepts ensures that the collected
data is efficiently transferred to the cloud,
making it accessible to users through a
I.INTRODUCTION: user-friendly interface.

The escalating global population, which In response to the growing demands and
recently surpassed 7.9 billion, has pressures on parking areas, smart parking
intensified the challenges associated with systems have emerged as crucial solutions.
finding adequate parking spaces. This Issues such as traffic congestion, illegal
issue is compounded by the surge in car parking, and conflicts over parking spaces
have become more prevalent in urban
areas. The tendency to park as close as Despite the substantial progress in IoT
possible to the destination to save time development, challenges remain,
often leads to frustration when there are particularly in establishing standardized
insufficient parking slots or none available rules for spectrum regulations globally.
upon entering a parking zone. This RFID operations, crucial for smart parking
underscores the urgent need for smart systems, operate within designated
parking systems capable of detecting and frequency spectrums that vary from one
displaying the availability of vacant slots country to another. These regulatory
in specific parking zones or areas. disparities underscore the need for a
unified approach to spectrum regulations
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
to facilitate seamless and standardized
technology, proven to be cost-effective and
deployment of RFID technology in smart
successful across various domains, has
parking solutions.
become a key enabler for smart parking
systems. RFID's applications range from A thorough comparative analysis of
supply chain management and traffic different smart parking systems reveals the
signage inventory to healthcare, wildlife pivotal role of IoT as the backbone of
research, smart agriculture, and beyond. In future smart systems. The study explores
this context, the proposed solution various smart parking sensors, evaluating
employs low-cost RFID technology with their pros and cons in different scenarios.
inkjet-printed passive RFID tags for Among the systems reviewed, a slotted
detecting the presence or absence of RFID antenna for intelligent vehicle
vehicles in parking slots. The tags, parking systems is presented,
fabricated using silver conductive ink, demonstrating characteristics such as a
contribute to the system's cost- return loss of -20 dB and a gain of 5 dBi.
effectiveness, addressing the economic While this antenna is designed for diverse
constraints associated with widespread road and environmental conditions, it
deployment. highlights the ongoing efforts to enhance
RFID technology for specific applications.
The IoT revolution has significantly
advanced contactless sensing technologies, In practical deployment scenarios, RFID
and smart systems now play a pivotal role readers are strategically positioned at the
in shaping a more intelligent ecosystem. entrance or exit of different types of
The Internet of Things leverages a range of parking lots. The choice of RFID
sensing technologies, allowing devices to placement depends on the specific system
collect and transmit intelligence and and the layout of the parking facility.
information across connected networks. Common types of parking lots include bay,
This paradigm shift has enabled devices to parallel, and angled configurations, each
autonomously function, continually with its own characteristics and challenges.
improving the overall intelligence of the RFID readers are instrumental in
ecosystem. With the use of a effectively identifying and detecting
communication network and contactless objects within parking lots, contributing to
sensing technologies, devices have become the overall efficiency of smart parking
more intelligent and useful, contributing to systems.
the ongoing evolution of the IoT
Among the various types of parking lots,
landscape.
the bay parking layout stands out for its
higher capacity, typically found in
commercial or urban areas. The The growing need for efficient parking
deployment of RFID readers in bay solutions in urban areas has led to the
parking lots requires comparatively fewer development of various smart parking
readers to cover more area, making it a management systems. One such system is
cost-effective solution. Regardless of the designed to direct drivers to available
parking lot type, RFID tags are parking spaces, aiming to alleviate the
strategically placed at the end spot of each challenges posed by traffic and reduce the
parking row to ensure accurate detection. risk of accidents. A corresponding mobile
The choice of height for placing RFID tags app has been developed to enable drivers
is adaptable, allowing for customization to interact with the parking infrastructure
based on the specific requirements of each seamlessly. This demonstrates the
parking facility. integration of technology to address real-
world challenges and enhance the overall
Before full-scale deployment, conducting
parking experience for users [1].
on-site experiments is recommended to
optimize system performance. Parking lots An IoT-based e-parking system for smart
vary in terms of layout and surroundings, cities has been explored in another paper,
necessitating tailored approaches for each highlighting the importance of curbing
scenario. In this work, experimentation improper parking that can disrupt traffic
focused on a bay parking layout due to its flow. To promote correct parking behavior,
higher capacity, providing valuable a parking meter is employed to detect
insights into the system's potential. The anomalies, and fines are imposed on users
results of this experimentation who obstruct or block parking spaces. This
demonstrated a significant drop in the approach not only addresses the issue of
Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) improper parking but also introduces a
value in the proximity of vehicles. This deterrent mechanism to encourage
proof of presence concept serves as a compliance [2].
foundation for detecting free and occupied
The implementation of cloud computation
parking slots, showcasing the system's
and Raspberry Pi in a smart parking
viability in diverse parking scenarios.
system is discussed in a third paper. This
Looking ahead, the continued exploration system focuses on providing real-time
and refinement of smart parking systems information about the location of available
hold great promise for addressing urban parking spaces, helping users save time
mobility challenges. The intersection of and fuel. By utilizing Raspberry Pi to
RFID technology, IoT concepts, and cost- integrate essential components, the system
effective solutions opens avenues for sends all relevant details to the cloud for
creating smarter, more efficient, and user accessibility. This approach
accessible urban spaces. As technology showcases the potential of cloud-based
evolves, the integration of innovative solutions in optimizing parking space
solutions like the IoT-based smart parking utilization [3]. In indoor parking scenarios,
system will play a pivotal role in shaping a paper introduces a method for sensing
the future of urban mobility, ensuring a cars and available spaces using ultrasonic
sustainable and seamless experience for sensors. By strategically placing these
motorists around the world. sensors at the entry points, the system
effectively detects the presence of cars and
II. LITERATURE SURVEY the availability of parking spaces. This
demonstrates a tailored solution for indoor notifies drivers of available parking spaces
parking facilities, ensuring efficient space and provides the shortest route to the
management [4]. parking lot. This not only saves time but
also contributes to fuel efficiency,
The demand for parking spaces often
addressing both environmental and
exceeds the supply, leading to the
efficiency concerns [9].
exploration of optimal utilization of
existing parking spaces. A paper addresses To further reduce traffic and assist users in
this challenge by monitoring parking finding parking spots, a paper allocates
spaces and alerting drivers to the free parking spaces to users and guides
availability of empty lots. The proactive them to the designated area. Leveraging
notification system aims to efficiently use IoT and cloud technologies, the user can
existing parking resources and reduce the access all necessary data through a mobile
time spent searching for a parking spot application, streamlining the entire parking
[5].Cost-effective and wireless solutions process [10]. Addressing the issue of
are explored in another paper to address accidents caused by over-speeding and
the challenges of limited and expensive traffic rule violations, a paper utilizes
parking in various locations. By leveraging Raspberry Pi and OpenCV to detect
sensor technology and secure wireless vehicles violating traffic laws. The
networks, the paper introduces a parking detected vehicles are then reported to
navigation system that is both efficient and metropolitan traffic servers, contributing to
convenient for users, showcasing the role enhanced traffic safety [12]. In the context
of technology in making parking more of smart cities, a paper aims to reduce
accessible [6]. In densely populated urban traffic caused by the unavailability of
areas where parking is limited, a paper parking spaces in developing countries.
presents a method to fully utilize existing Using IoT modules, the system monitors
spaces. This involves notifying drivers of empty parking slots and allows users to
parking availability through SMS in paid book parking spaces through a dedicated
parking scenarios. The system ensures a platform. This demonstrates the potential
seamless process, from notifying the driver of IoT in optimizing parking space usage
of an available spot to facilitating payment and improving urban mobility [13].
through various modes. This approach
In large parking spaces where finding a
contributes to effective parking space
spot can be challenging, a paper proposes a
management and user convenience [7].
solution to direct users to nearby empty
Traffic congestion often arises during the spots. Leveraging cloud-based IoT, this
search for parking, leading to accidents system ensures efficient space utilization
and delays. To mitigate these challenges, a and contributes to a more seamless parking
paper proposes a method where the experience [14].
location of an empty parking spot is sent to
Efforts to reduce the time it takes for
drivers, reducing unnecessary traffic. This
drivers to find parking spaces are explored
approach aligns with the broader goal of
in another paper, which utilizes Dijkstra
smart parking systems to enhance traffic
and Floyd algorithms for parking space
flow and prevent accidents [8].
navigation. By optimizing these
An integrated smart parking system is algorithms, the system significantly
introduced to detect empty lots and reduces the time required for drivers to
improperly parked vehicles. The system locate parking spaces, emphasizing the
importance of algorithmic efficiency in of sensors corresponding to the specified
smart parking solutions [15]. number of parking spaces in the project
(four in this case). These IR proximity
Automation takes center stage in a paper
sensors detect the presence of a
that integrates robotic equipment with
sensors to detect movements and actions.
This advanced technological approach
showcases the potential for reducing
manpower requirements in strenuous tasks,
introducing a new dimension to day-to-day
activities [16].In a unique application, a
paper monitors driver wakefulness using a
photoplethysmography sensor. If the
sensor detects drowsiness, it alerts the
user, addressing the critical issue of driver
car in a parking lot, and the collected data
fatigue and enhancing overall road safety
is transmitted to the cloud. The RFID and
[17]. These diverse papers collectively
IR sensor integration is crucial for
underscore the multifaceted approaches
accurately identifying the number of
and technological innovations in smart
occupied and vacant parking spaces.
parking systems. From addressing
Through a dedicated mobile application,
improper parking behavior to optimizing
users can efficiently identify and locate
space utilization and enhancing safety,
empty parking spaces. This not only
these solutions showcase the potential of minimizes the time spent searching for a
technology in revolutionizing urban suitable parking spot but also enhances the
mobility and parking experiences. overall user experience. The system
III. IMPLEMENTATION provides real-time updates, indicating both
vacant and occupied parking areas. To
The smart parking system using IoT offers enhance user experience and security, the
several advantages, along with some system does not send notifications
considerations in its design and automatically. This approach ensures that
implementation. One of the key benefits is users can focus on their tasks without
the seamless connectivity of components being interrupted by unnecessary alerts.
through an IoT network, allowing real- Given the inherent risks present on the
time data exchange and storage. The internet, users can access the mobile
system's primary focus is to empower application at their own pace, reducing
users to track parking space availability potential security concerns. In situations
conveniently. All data collected from where the parking lot is fully occupied
various components are transmitted and with no available spaces, the entrance is
stored in the cloud, providing users with closed using the ESP 8266 to signal the
easy access to parking information. The DC motor at the front gate. Additionally,
initiation of the system begins with the users approaching the parking lot receive
RFID reader strategically placed at the alerts through an LCD display, providing
entry of the parking area. This reader scans real-time information about the parking
RFID tags attached to cars entering the status and helping manage traffic flow
parking facility. Above each parking lot, efficiently. This combination of features
IR sensors are deployed, with the number showcases the thoughtful design and
functionality of the IoT-based smart identification number, facilitating the
parking system. identification of objects or people.

IV METHODOLOGY To detect the presence of a vehicle in a

parking spot, Infrared (IR) sensors are
The choice of microcontroller plays a employed. These sensors use infrared rays
crucial role in the efficiency of the smart to measure the required distance and are
parking system, and in this project, the commonly used in obstacle detection
Arduino Mega is employed. Arduino Mega systems. The IoT connectivity interlinks
is selected for its robust support for all these components, creating a network
multiple motors and sensors, facilitating that allows seamless communication and
easy integration into the system. The data sharing among them.
Arduino IDE, being an open-source
platform, provides flexibility in
programming the microcontroller. The
Arduino Mega 2560, based on Atmega
2560, features 54 digital input/output pins,
15 of which can function as Pulse Width
Modulation (PWM) output pins, and 16
analog input pins. This microcontroller can
connect to a computer using a USB cable
or an AC to DC adapter. These pins
receive inputs from various sources such The Internet of Things (IoT) is defined as a
as IR sensors, RFID reader, ESP 8266 and network of physical or virtual objects
deliver outputs to the DC motor and other connected for a specific task, enabling
components, forming the backbone of the these objects to gather and share data. In
system. this system, data from the RFID reader is
sent for processing, and the processed
The power supply is a critical component information is then transmitted to the
for the system's functionality. It converts cloud. Various cloud platforms, such as
alternating high voltage current (AC) into Azure and Amazon Web Services, can be
direct current (DC) and regulates the DC utilized for storing and managing this data
output voltage precisely, meeting the efficiently.
requirements of modern computing
components. This power supply ensures The ESP 8266, a WiFi module microchip,
the seamless operation of the entire is a crucial component with built-in
system. TCP/IP networking software and
microcontroller capabilities. Manufactured
The RFID reader, a fundamental part of by Espressif, this module has a compact
the system, reads RFID tags and transmits design and superior RF performance. The
the data to the cloud. RFID, or Radio 32-bit microcontroller can be easily
Frequency Identification, utilizes wireless integrated into space-constrained devices,
techniques relying on radio waves for tag providing wireless connectivity for the DC
identification. The RFID reader comprises motor, especially in situations where the
the Microcontroller, RF generator, and RF parking is full. A Direct Current (DC)
receiver. The RFID tag, equipped with a motor is utilized in the system to convert
radio antenna, contains a unique 12-byte electrical energy into mechanical energy. It
consists of a stator, an armature, a rotor,
and a commutator. The motor's operation lots through the application.
is based on the interaction between the
magnetic field and electric current. This
DC motor is essential for controlling the
gate or barrier at the entrance to the
parking area. Additionally, an LCD
display, or Liquid Crystal Display, is
incorporated into the system to alert users
when the parking lot is full. LCD displays
are known for their flat-panel design, using
a liquid crystal film, and they consume less
power compared to LEDs. The system's
power consumption is efficient due to the Figures 4a and 4b showcase the
careful selection of components, with an experimental setup of the proposed system.
average sensor power consumption The integration with the ThingSpeak cloud
ranging between 0.5-0.8W, making it a enables remote monitoring of the parking
prudent choice compared to other status. Figure 5 illustrates the output from
proposed models. To store and transfer the the ThingSpeak cloud, displaying the
obtained data, the project utilizes the number of cars parked at a specific
Thingspeak cloud. This cloud platform moment. This real-time data visualization
serves as a repository for the data contributes to efficient monitoring and
generated by the system, ensuring management of the parking area.
seamless communication and data
management. Overall, the combination of Figure 6 reveals the parking full indicator,
these components showcases a well- which activates when there are no
designed and efficient smart parking available parking lots. This visual indicator
system with robust hardware and serves as a clear signal to users that the
connectivity features. parking area has reached its capacity.
Figure 7 provides information on the
IV. RESULT AND DISCUSSION currently available number of parking
The system depicted in the figure spaces, enabling users to make informed
integrates a DC motor for the controlled decisions about whether to proceed to the
opening and closing of the gate, regulating parking area.
the entry of cars into the parking area. This The use of the ThingSpeak cloud in this
gate control mechanism ensures that the system adds a layer of accessibility and
parking area can be closed when filled, real-time monitoring, enhancing the
displaying a "no parking space available" overall functionality of the smart parking
message on the display, preventing entry solution. The visual indicators and data
for new users. Conversely, when a user outputs contribute to a user-friendly
intends to exit, the gate opens, and the interface and facilitate effective
cloud is updated to reflect the change in
status. The accessibility of this application
from home allows users to check parking
data, book a lot, or ascertain availability at
any time. In a paid parking scenario, users
can also make payments for their parking
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