Heathrow Terminal 5 will be the first to trial a new technology pioneered by Siemens Building Technologies Security Solutions, called Car Finder.
The new technology will locate a car in a car park should the returning owner not remember its whereabouts. The owner can simply insert his or her parking ticket into one of the 16 ‘Car Finder’ kiosks to receive a 3D map of the cars location as well as other key information such and the exits, stairs and lifts.
The technology can also track the number of empty spots available in the car park and as the driver proceeds, lights above each bay will turn green to advise the owner of free spaces.
The technology works based on a network of 35 InfraRed CCTV cameras that utilise number plate recognition software to identify each car.
Advances could see the system also offering perks to staff and customers who buy their tickets online, allowing for automatic exit and entry. Every car in the car park will also benefit from greater security as more details about each car will be available, meaning operators can track such details as how long the car has been there and who the owner is.
