Frequently Asked Questions
On the occasion that the APS does break down, the idea is to minimize downtime and recover as quickly as possible. The quality of your parking control system (PCS) software can have a huge bearing on the amount of time it will take to recover. You should evaluate any software solutions based on their ability to automatically recover from less than ideal situations. The APS and its pieces of equipment should be designed with redundancy in mind; where one piece of equipment or another component can take over if another is having an issue.
If the power goes out, you should still be able to retrieve your car given there is a backup generator. A generator is outside the scope of the APS project, but we can modify our system to work with it. Generator mode is then programmed within the PCS to limit the amount of movement that the car park system will make. We can limit the number of lifts or T-cars in use depending on how much power we have from the generator.
We can manage an influx of people in several ways. If we know peak hours for retrieval ahead of time, we can prepare our system to deal with that. A new addition to our user experience is the parking app. People can indicate when they plan to retrieve their car so it can be ready for them when they arrive, or we can give them an approximate wait time.
The user will typically wait about 2 – 3 minutes for their car. The time can vary depending on where the car is in the garage and how many other people are calling their car.
Since automated parking is relatively new in the United States, there are no official building codes that exist; therefore, each city may come up with their own building codes. Some cities are starting to use European standards while others are making it up as they go along. However, there are fire codes in place that you would have to adhere to.
Ideally, your APS supplier will have a strong track record in automated parking with a portfolio of satisfied customers.
When searching for an APS supplier, a key thing to look for is what capabilities they have in-house. Check to see if they subcontract to any 3rd parties as opposed to handing in-house. It can significantly complicate the process if other companies are involved. Ideally, an APS supplier should be able to design, manufacture, test, install and commission the system. Look into a company’s aftermarket offerings as well. A great APS supplier can offer the whole package.
If something is left in the car, the user is able to call their car back up, retrieve the item, and use the repark function within the PCS. There is no need to drive the car out and back in again. With this function, the system understands that it should just put it back in the garage in the next available spot.
After the user leaves the transfer cabin, the outer door closes and the system rescans the area around the vehicle with a safety scanner. The scanner makes sure there is no one in the transfer area, all doors are closed, and the car is in the right position.