According to the Dutch CBS (Central Bureau of Statistics) the Dutch people experience significantly more nuisance during their average day. Mostly in the form of aggression by others, confrontations with homeless and drug abusers as well as the experience of an increase in pollution of the environment in the widest sense.
Q-Park as a provider of parking facilities also experiences this trend in their daily operations. Mainly larger cities are haunted by these issues. Resulting in a wide variety of nuisance. These include the following examples:
- feces and urine
- vandalism
- aggression
- sleepers
- odor nuisance
In response to these challenges, several projects were launched to minimize the detrimental effects of this trend. Solely relying on the government and possible future legislation lacks a solution for the near future. Next to the installation of fixed camera systems, the recruitment of security personnel, blue lights hindering drug abusers as well as combining forces with third parties, the search continued to find new technology.
As a result a project was set up together with TMC as well as Sita Robotics. Goal of the project is the development of an autonomous security robot. Several requirements are crucial to make this project a success:
- Find a solution for data coverage several stories below street level
- Significant cost reduction compared to a fixed camera system
- Reduce labour costs by an autonomous software solution
- Use of AI to detect unwanted situations
- Direct connection with third parties i.e.: Police and security personnel
Below is a general video of Sita Robotics and a similar product currently used by the Dutch government and the prototype for the Q-Park case during one of the recent days of testing.
Currently this project is in the proof of concept stage. Several days of testing have been concluded and the roadmap for the near future is being prepared. Current indications forsee a first suitable product to be ready mid 2024.