Smart Parking

Ticketless Entry. Revenue Control.

Automate your lot with advanced License Plate Recognition (LPR) and intelligent analytics to maximize revenue and streamline access.

Not ready for a full quote? Talk to an engineer first.

Overview

ZEI builds smart parking systems combining license-plate recognition, occupancy analytics, dynamic signage, and revenue control. From condo gate management to commercial garages with transient billing, the system reads plates accurately, opens gates in milliseconds, and delivers clean revenue and occupancy data to operations.

Technology Partners

  • LiftMaster gate and access operators
  • HID Global access control technology
  • Avigilon video surveillance by Motorola
  • Brivo cloud-based access control
  • Axis Communications network cameras
  • LiftMaster gate and access operators
  • HID Global access control technology
  • Avigilon video surveillance by Motorola
  • Brivo cloud-based access control
  • Axis Communications network cameras
Representative real-world environment where ZEI deploys smart parking
In the field

A representative environment where ZEI engineers, deploys, and supports smart parking.

Problems We Solve

Where current systems fall short.

  • Slow gate cycles creating queues and tailgating
  • Revenue leakage from missed transient parkers
  • Manual visitor registration that frustrates residents and tenants
  • No real-time data on lot occupancy or abandoned vehicles
  • Watchlist vehicles entering undetected
Core Capabilities

Live Parking Intelligence

Transform your parking facility into a frictionless, data-driven operation.

License Plate Recognition

Frictionless entry.

High-speed cameras capture plates in all weather conditions, automatically granting access to authorized vehicles.

Automated Billing

Leak-proof revenue.

Integrate with payment gateways to automatically charge transient parkers based on their exact entry and exit times.

Occupancy Tracking

Real-time data.

Monitor lot capacity, identify abandoned vehicles, and guide drivers to available spaces with dynamic signage.

Watchlist Alerts

Proactive security.

Instantly notify security personnel when a banned or VIP vehicle enters the premises.

Typical Components

What gets installed.

A real deployment is more than the headline product. These are the components we typically specify and integrate.

LPR cameras

High-speed cameras tuned for plate capture in all weather and lighting (Genetec AutoVu, Vaxtor, Survision, Verkada).

Barrier gates / arms

High-cycle barrier gates (Magnetic, FAAC, HySecurity) with rapid open/close and tailgate detection.

Plate recognition engine

On-camera or local engine that reads plates with high accuracy and matches against permit / watchlist / billing tables.

Payment integration

Connections to payment gateways (Stripe, Authorize.Net) for transient billing with auto-charge on exit.

Dynamic signage

Wayfinding and occupancy signs guiding drivers to available spaces.

Visitor portal

Self-service portal for residents / tenants to pre-register guests with a one-time plate or QR code.

Loops & safety devices

Inductive loops, photo-eyes, and edge sensors to UL 325 safety requirements.

Integrations

Connects to what you already run.

Our smart parking integrate with your existing identity, communication, and security systems for unified operations.

Active Directory integration
Active Directory
Slack / Teams integration
Slack / Teams
HR Platforms integration
HR Platforms
VMS Systems integration
VMS Systems
Alarm Panels integration
Alarm Panels
Fire Systems integration
Fire Systems
Building Mgmt integration
Building Mgmt
Custom API integration
Custom API
Deployment Process

How it gets built.

Every project follows the same engineering-led sequence — designed, documented, and delivered with no surprises.

  1. 01

    Site survey

    Measure entry / exit lanes, sun exposure, lighting, queue capacity, and integration points with existing access control.

  2. 02

    Lane design

    Position cameras and gates per lane; design loop placement, signage, and safety device locations.

  3. 03

    Civil & cabling

    Loops cut, conduits poured, fiber and power runs to each gate cabinet.

  4. 04

    Hardware install

    Cameras mounted, gates installed and balanced, payment kiosks placed, signage mounted.

  5. 05

    Programming & calibration

    LPR engine tuned, payment integrated, visitor portal launched, watchlists loaded, gate timing tuned.

  6. 06

    Acceptance & training

    Plate read accuracy measured against ground truth; staff trained on overrides and reporting.

Engineering Considerations

What our engineers look for.

  • LPR camera placement (height, angle, lighting) is decisive for read accuracy — measured against real plates during install, not at the desk.
  • UL 325 safety requirements are non-negotiable: photo-eyes, edge sensors, and proper loop detection on every gate.
  • Tailgate detection logic prevents one credential from passing two vehicles; design varies by site (loop pattern, camera count).
  • PCI scope is minimized — payment hardware connects to gateways, never stores card data on premise.
  • Local privacy regulations on plate retention are honored: short retention by default, longer only with cause.
Maintenance & Support

After the install.

Service tiers built around what your facility actually needs — not a one-size-fits-all SLA.

Essentials

Annual gate operator service, camera cleaning / re-tuning, and firmware updates.

Pro

Quarterly preventive service, 24/7 remote monitoring, and 4-hour critical response on gate failure.

Managed

Fully managed plate-database administration, exception handling, and revenue reconciliation support.

Reference Architecture

How the system fits together.

Reference architecture diagram for smart parking
Smart Parking — reference architecture
Architecture Options

Parking Solutions

Tailored systems for different parking environments.

Commercial Garages

Revenue-focused systems for public parking.

  • Transient billing integration
  • Dynamic pricing support
  • High-speed barrier gates
  • Detailed financial reporting

Corporate / Residential

Access-focused systems for private lots.

  • Tenant credential management
  • Visitor pre-registration
  • Seamless access control integration
  • Tailgating detection
FAQs

Frequently asked.

How accurate is license plate recognition?

Modern LPR with proper camera placement and lighting reads at 95%+ accuracy on US plates in real-world conditions, including night and rain. We measure against ground truth during commissioning and tune any lane that doesn't hit target.

Can residents pre-register guests?

Yes. The visitor portal lets residents or tenants enter a plate (or get a one-time QR / PIN) for a guest. The system grants automatic entry for the window you choose, then revokes access. Logs are visible to the resident and to property management.

What about transient parkers and billing?

For commercial garages, the LPR captures entry and exit timestamps. On exit, the system calculates the fee, charges a saved card or kiosk-presented card via your payment gateway, and lifts the gate. PCI scope stays small because the gateway, not us, holds card data.

Does it tie into our access control?

Yes. Resident / employee plates can sit in the same identity directory as their badges. A terminated employee's plate is revoked at the same time as their card. Gate events show up alongside door events in the access control log.

What if a plate is unreadable?

Fallbacks vary by site: a kiosk with intercom for assistance, manual override by security, or a pull-tag for unrecognized plates that triggers manual review. We design these workflows so unreadable plates don't block the lane.

Let's build your system.

Tell us about your facility. Our engineering team will design a system tailored to your security, connectivity, and automation requirements.

Request a Quote