CASE STUDY. Parksol Guidance System in the self-service carwash center

Year

2020

Project size

We have installed Parksol Guidance System in H2AUTO self-service carwash centers. 17 different locations in Lithuania and more than 50 carwash bays.

We have sold more than 100 similar systems for carwash centers worldwide.

Products installed:

LED signages
Ultrasonic sensors
TOF sensors
Control panel with power supply

Situation

Self-service carwashes H2AUTO are located near busy city roads, so often their layout is not very convenient for drivers. It has been noticed due to compact spaces and narrow angles that drivers do not see which carwash bay is available and which is occupied when they arrive at the carwash. There is too little space to maneuver. If you want to find a free carwash bay, you need to drive physically to each bay.

A solution was needed to help drivers to see which bay is available as soon as they drive at the carwash.

Customer tasks

• To ensure that drivers find a free carwash bay in the shortest possible time.
• Effective use of waiting areas without blocking the entrance, without obstructing the traffic of other cars.

Challenges

When we started the project, we noticed that in the open carwash bay (without a roof) the wash hoses cross and thus cover the sensor. The sensor activates and shows that the bay is occupied, when in fact it is free.
The environment in carwashes is classified as aggressive, so all equipment must have a high resistance class.

Solution

In H2AUTO self-service carwashes we installed a Parksol guidance system which consists of sensors that have relay outputs, LED signages, and a control panel with a power supply.
We installed sensors above each carwash bay. We used 2 types of sensors: an ultrasonic sensor for covered bays and double head TOF (time of flight) sensors for open areas to assure 100% accuracy.

We installed LED signages in a visible place outside the carwash bays. When the car enters the washing bay, a red X sign lights up in the LED signage. When the car leaves, the green arrow -> lights up in the signage. As soon as you reach a car wash, you can clearly see the occupancy of carwash bays. There is no need to drive and check if the place is free. Therefore, a smaller area is needed to install the carwash.

Parksol system for self-service carwashes is a unique solution in the market. The system is reliable, easy to install, and effortless to park. The whole system has an IP66 protection class, that guarantees a long lifetime.

Additional system features

• Statistics, reports
• LED signage that shows how much carwash bays are free. This signage is usually installed near the street that drivers could see if there is available space to wash cars, or not.
• Customers can see the occupancy of the carwashes on the carwash center website or mobile APP. Before going to the car wash, you can check if there are free carwash bays.
• Adjust the lighting on the carwash bay when the car enters. This reduces electricity consumption. When the car enters the washing bay, the lighting becomes brighter, and when the car leaves, the lighting becomes less bright during the dark hours of the day.

Impact on business

• Saved customer time: easy to spot empty carwash bays when approaching the carwash center.
• Better user experience
• Reduced environmental pollution: cars find a free washing bay faster
• Lower costs for buying/renting carwash center land: if the Parksol guidance system is planned to install, less space is needed for the carwash center.