CIOInsider India Magazine
.png){kind=logo}
Ajay Masur
Co-Founder
The advent of newer technologies such as IoT, Machine Learning and Cloud Computing has completely changed the trends and features of the Parking Management Systems (PMS) technology. Capitalizing on these latest trends, JAAN Innovations decided to venture into the PMS Field with its unique platform called Hawk Eye Parking. Hawk Eye Parking is based on IoT, Machine Learning and most importantly Computer Vision (CV) technology. Ajay Masur, the Co-founder of JAAN Innovations elaborates further on some of the unique aspects of the flagship parking platform in details below.
In conversation with Ajay Masur, Co-Founder, JAAN Innovation’s Hawk Eye Parking
As smart parking has emerged as an efficient way to reduce fuel and combat the issues with locating a parking facility, how is Hawk Eye operating in this niche space?
Parking Management System (PMS) has been in existence for quite some time now. Traditionally, PMS have been using various ‘sensors’, like Magnetic, Ultrasonic or IR just to determine the occupancy of the Parking Area. However, the consumer was never a main focus in the minds of the Parking owner or operator. Hence, the PMS segment was much localised and thus restricted to only one parking lot. Things took a quick turn with the introduction of newer technologies that ultimately drove consumerism in the sector.
JAAN Innovations ventured into the PMS Field with its extremely powerful platform, Hawk Eye Parking, and its
inhouse developed Algorithms, are becoming the most favoured Platform for all the PMS verticals and market segments.
When wireless technologies are efficiently used for proper town planning and development of smart cities, it helps guide people to find available parking spaces. Kindly explain how your IoT based parking provides a solution to people?
Wireless technologies, like 4G, Wi-Fi, Zeegbee and many others, in combination with Mobile Apps with GPS, have definitely given advantage to consumer to view and select the parking areas, it still does not tell the consumer the available parking ‘slot’ to select and make advance payment for the selected ‘slot’.
JAAN Innovations’ Hawk Eye Parking Platform makes use of Computer Vision (CV) technology and uses the low cost IP-Cameras
JAAN Innovations’ Hawk Eye Parking Platform makes use of Computer Vision (CV) technology and uses the low cost IP-Cameras, replacing the traditional sensors to determine multiple decision making points such as Occupancy detection and vehicle number plate detection (thus avoiding the expensive ANPR cameras). Hawk Eye mobile app gives many features, like Slot Level booking, payment and security features like “Show my car” on real time basis. This is all possible due to its powerful algorithms and the use of CV technology.
What were some of the initial challenges that you faced while deploying the application in cities? How did the application start getting accepted among the people and customers?
Our decision to opt for the image processing, computer vision technology and developing our own IoT gateway was the most difficult decision to follow through. This required a huge sample of
images for testing, months of on-field testing and with different light conditions to tweak our algorithms. Just to give an example, we tested almost on 2.5L vehicle images to perfect our Occupancy detection, ANPR algorithms and also for the Machine Learning process to work with greater accuracy. Our Corporate customers & private pay-n-park customers have been able to understand and embrace it much faster. We recently commissioned very large PMS project for a marquee corporate (one of the largest BOP/KPO corporate in the world) against very stiff competition. They are extremely happy with our system performance and will be expanding our system to many of their offices in India as well as outside India, in next couple of years. Now with the Covid-19 outbreak, many customers are asking for features like Face Mask Detection, Number counting and restriction and even Human Body Temperature detection using Thermal Cameras as an integral part of PMS. Computer Vision technology is definitely going to be entering in PMS in a big way. JAAN Innovations, with its core platform, HawkEye Smart Parking, and expertise in CV & ML technology is working extensively for providing such features.
What is the future road-map that has been envisioned for Hawk Eye Parking Solutions?
Our roadmap consists of mid-term and long term (next 5 years) plans, both on Technology and Sales & Marketing front.
On the technology side, we plan to add many features, assisting both parking operators and consumers. This includes (but not limited to) the Vehicle colour and make and model determination, face recognition and the use of drones, in place of fixed cameras.
On the market expansion side, for the next few years our concentration would be on Smart City projects and expanding our market reach beyond the boundaries of India. We already have projects implemented in Kenya but the real test would be when we do projects in US & UK. We already have partners who are helping us to take us to these markets. We goal is to do USD 100M+ revenue by 2024!!
