Learn about the ways artificial intelligence is making the job of security cameras in parking lots easier and more efficient.
Whether it’s the most up-to-date smartphone, to the newest espresso maker, to the latest automobile with all the bells and whistles, we are always looking for the next best model. Who wants to run their phones on 4G when there’s 5G technology? Why wait 30 seconds for a double shot cappuccino when another model can brew twice the number of drinks without sacrificing flavor in under 20 seconds? Why settle for a car that only has a 360-degree parking camera, when the newer model can park itself?
For businesses looking to fortify their parking lot security measures, it’s no different. There is a constant appetite for keeping up to date with the latest technology — business owners are in a race to stay one step ahead of criminals looking for gaps in the system.
Traditionally, parking lots have been some of the most challenging areas to keep safe and secure. U.S. Department of Justice statistics show that they are the third most crime prone areas in the country with about 1,400 incidents daily. Some of the contributing factors are the sheer size of most parking lots combined with poor design. This includes obstructed sight lines, bad lighting, and the fact that they are highly trafficked areas.
While everyone agrees that a visible physical security presence is key to deterring crime, most would also agree that by itself, it isn’t enough. There is a need to have a multi-layered approach to not only monitor areas but to actively deter and defend them, too. Security systems have come a long way but when it comes to the next big thing, perhaps no area has garnered more intrigue and excitement than what the field of artificial intelligence (AI) can potentially bring to the table.
The allure of artificial intelligence lies in its ability to learn on the fly. AI can gather and process large amounts of information quickly and then utilize that information to analyze and calculate an outcome seemingly in a blink of an eye. It can identify people, objects, and situations, then make complex calculations to make decisions based on a pre-existing number of options and pick the best one. AI is capable of machine learning where it adapts over time to increase proficiency and improves outcomes based on past experiences. The more reps it gets, the better it becomes.
Let’s look at some of the positive changes we’re seeing in AI that will ultimately make parking lot security camera systems more effective.
AI helps simplify tasks and in turn can help manage and ease the load that security teams face. It streamlines and automates mundane tasks such as making sure areas are sufficiently lit, monitoring protected areas for abnormalities, and ensuring that areas remain secure. Furthermore, it can perform these tasks for multiple camera streams simultaneously which equates to a more efficient surveillance system.
The impact of this alone can pay big dividends not only financially but in the performance of security personnel. The ability to unchain security guards from continuously monitoring cameras helps preserve their attention span so that they can focus on other important tasks. Studies show that attention spans dip after just 20 minutes of surveillance and is exacerbated even further when having to monitor multiple stimuli simultaneously - such as various video streams. Having AI focus on camera surveillance and analysis allows security guards to shift their focus to following up on irregular activities flagged by AI software which allows for a better allocation of manpower. This can result in more targeted patrols or quick mobilization to areas where further investigation or intervention is needed.
While a big advantage of artificial intelligence is its ability to decipher when to flag a situation for further intervention, it’s just as beneficial to know when not to. AI can recognize the difference between a false alarm and an actual viable threat. It can distinguish between animals like a stray dog or cat from a person who might be trespassing. The first instance would be ignored, while the other would trigger an automatic next level response based on the level or duration of the threat. This can be as simple as an activation of strobe or spotlights that can be supplemented with a loud recording, warning that they are in a restricted area with directions to leave immediately. If that doesn’t mitigate the situation, AI can heighten the response by alerting a guard to investigate further or calling authorities based on predetermined preferences.
AI also has the ability to detect if a person is brandishing a weapon like a knife or gun and alerting security personnel or authorities ahead of time.
Experts cite facial recognition as one of the most exciting and promising areas of artificial intelligence. AI has the potential to capture facial images, process them into a database, and even catalog them for future identification or timestamp their visit in that location. The images can be cross referenced through databases for either wanted or missing persons or persons of interest. This not only creates a record but can serve as advance warning that someone with a nefarious history is on premises. All this can be done more quickly and more accurately than the human eye. It can also take the information and analyze any potential patterns that might be a red flag.
Technology is advancing to the point where systems can identify people even if they are wearing articles that might obscure their identities, like a hood or glasses. It can even utilize an old image of an individual and create a composite rendering of them having aged which can aid in alerting authorities or security teams in identifying and finding missing persons.
Just as with facial recognition, AI can leverage its technology to identify and record license plates and match them with a database to look for stolen or lost vehicles. It can also cross reference the plates to see if there are any crimes or outstanding warrants associated with the vehicles.
Another practical application that AI can be used for is keeping and analyzing traffic data to glean information regarding traffic patterns and peak shopping times. This would index the number of visitors on any given day, time frame, or season. It would be a potential treasure trove that would not only address security concerns but provide invaluable insights for retailers looking to maximize sales.
With AI’s ability to identify, process, analyze, and activate next steps seemingly within seconds, its speed can be an advantage.
AI’s real-time analysis can be leveraged to recognize and verify situations requiring emergency response and speed up those response times. For example, AI can be programmed to recognize smoke and coordinate that information with other systems such as temperature gauges or heat mapping technology to verify data that would indicate a fire is taking place. It would then immediately alert the fire department cutting down on any ambiguity that might slow down a response.
In incidents where a criminal is being tracked or on the loose, AI can identify and keep tabs on their location. Their real-time whereabouts, potential exit points, and the most relevant and actionable data can be relayed to authorities immediately.
We’ve just scratched the surface of what artificial intelligence can do and how it can be further integrated with video analytics for advanced parking lot security monitoring. The early returns are already turning heads and have experts confident that it will be a game changer when it comes to combating crime. And while still evolving and advancing, security experts believe that when it comes to artificial intelligence, the adage about fine wine also applies to AI – it only gets better with time. And that, security experts say, is optimistic cause for cheer.
