Leading European car park operator prioritizes customer safety and convenience.
Founded in 1998, Q-Park is now one of Europe’s largest and most trusted car park operators, with over 5,800 facilities now operating in cities including Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, and Ghent. In Belgium, Q-Park operates 45 car parks at prime sites including train stations, airports, and major visitor destinations. The company is committed to reducing its environmental impact and has implemented several initiatives to promote sustainable mobility.
To make parking easier, safer, and more convenient for customers, Q-Park facilities are equipped with the latest technologies, including ANPR and mobile payment systems. Whenever a customer asks for help, it is essential for Q-Park’s remote monitoring team to view live footage of the location. A video upgrade was needed to replace Q-Park’s older generation analog technology and Q-Park’s trusted partner, Chubb Security Systems, was asked to implement the best solution.
Challenges
Chubb worked in partnership with IDIS Belgium to set up a test location and proof-of-concept using IDIS Solution Suite VMS and a range of IDIS cameras. Priorities for the new solution included:
- User-friendly technology with excellent real-time image display and no latency.
- Remote viewing at two locations – an operating center in Zaventem, Belgium, and a control room in Maastricht, the Netherlands.
- Pin-sharp image quality 24/7 in varied lighting conditions.
- Interoperability to reduce waste by retaining existing third-party cameras.
- Futureproofing and scalability, for best lifecycle value and sustainability long term.
- Hassle-free migration path, with a responsive supplier partnership.
In Maastricht, where all car park cameras are centrally managed, the IDIS VMS would need to integrate with Q-Park’s umbrella management system, Flinq, for seamless control of functions such as intercoms. Out-of-hours, the video system also needed to be monitored at the Belgium control center.
Solution
Video coverage at every Q-Park car park was transformed, with up to 32 x IDIS Full HD vandal-resistant IR dome cameras, and either a 6000 series 16- or a 32- channel DirectIP H.265 4K recorder in combination with IDIS Solution Suite VMS.
The IDIS NVRs were integrated with the Flinq management system in The Netherlands, while in Belgium the images are viewed and managed directly via IDIS Solution Suite. IDIS NVRs with dual codec make it easy to customize streaming to match available monitors, optimizing image display quality without the need to upgrade screens: in Belgium, the images are viewed in H.265 while in the Netherlands operators use H.264.
The on-site test demonstrated the advantages of IDIS technology and again proved the excellent service provided by Chubb Security Systems. Q-Park awarded a contract for a full roll-out of the new solution.
Results and benefits
IDIS video technology gives the car park operator a cost effective and sustainable solution long-term. Underpinned by high-performance IDIS camera technology, the new system works smoothly and without latency in real time to allow efficient 24/7 remote management of all Q-Park locations. Parking attendants can be deployed regionally, rather than needing to be continually present at each location, improving operational efficiency. Thanks to comprehensive remote monitoring attendants can make faster and better assessments, and respond efficiently, attending in person rapidly when required.
IDIS Solution Suite VMS provides a scalable, future-proof video monitoring platform, with failover protection ensuring no loss of video data in the event of network failure or instability. Q-Park’s new IDIS video infrastructure delivers the benefits of an industry-best low total cost of ownership. Extended warranties against equipment failure and assured technical support, provide robust, stable, and reliable security aligned to Q-Park’s sustainable business model.