Every Automated Machines system ships with the ability to operate in Traditional, Contactless, or Hybrid mode. The mode is a software configuration -- it can be changed remotely at any time, without hardware modifications or on-site visits. Most clients start in Traditional mode and graduate to Hybrid as their operation matures.
All three modes are supported by the same consoles, barriers, LPR cameras, and payment stations. You are not locked into a mode at the time of purchase. Your facility can evolve its operating model as your needs change, through a simple remote software configuration.
Every vehicle receives a QR ticket on entry. The LPR camera captures and logs the plate. The driver pays at the Automated Payment Station before exiting. The exit console reads the ticket QR code, validates payment, and opens the barrier. The simplest mode to operate and explain to drivers. Ideal for facilities starting their automation journey or those with high volumes of one-time visitors who are not pre-registered.
Registered license plates are stored in the system. When a known plate arrives, the LPR camera recognizes it and the barrier opens automatically -- no ticket, no button press, no interaction with the console. The system tracks parking time by plate. Payment can be handled via a pre-registered account or by visiting the APS on exit. Ideal for facilities with high volumes of recurring visitors, employees, or monthly permit holders.
The most capable and resilient configuration. Combines LPR-based automatic entry for registered plates with a ticket fallback for unrecognized plates. Face Parking adds a third layer of identification -- the driver's face through tinted windows -- creating a plate + face + video record for every transaction. Hybrid delivers the speed of contactless with the safety net of a ticket-based backup and the security depth of biometric driver identification.
Traditional mode is the proven baseline for automated parking facilities. It issues a QR-coded ticket on entry and validates that ticket against a payment record on exit. All vehicle activity is logged with plate, timestamp, and transaction data. No driver pre-registration is required.
The 24 GHz microwave presence sensor on the console detects the vehicle at 1 to 6 meters. The console screen activates and prompts the driver to request a ticket.
The LPR camera integrated inside the barrier (or in an external mount) reads the plate before the driver presses the button. Plate data is logged silently. Recognition takes under one second. The plate capture is independent of whether the driver receives a ticket -- it is a parallel audit record.
The driver presses the entry button. The thermal printer (250 mm/sec, 80 mm roll) dispenses a QR-coded ticket in under 2 seconds. The ticket encodes the entry timestamp and a unique transaction ID linked to the plate number. The barrier opens.
The vehicle parks. The system records the open-duration transaction for this plate and ticket ID. The parking duration begins accumulating against the facility's configured rate schedule.
The driver presents the QR ticket to the APS reader. The station calculates the amount due based on duration and the rate schedule. Payment is accepted via cash (bills and coins with change dispensing), credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover), contactless NFC (Apple Pay, Google Pay), or QR code. For retail facilities with POS integration, the driver may have already paid at the store checkout -- the ticket is then marked as validated without requiring an APS visit.
The exit console QR reader scans the ticket. The system verifies the payment status. If the ticket was paid at the APS or at the retail checkout, the barrier opens immediately.
Upon confirming payment, the exit barrier opens. The transaction is closed with an exit timestamp. The system logs total duration, payment method, amount collected, and plate number. This data flows to the reporting dashboard in real time.
Contactless mode eliminates the physical ticket entirely for registered vehicles. The license plate becomes the access credential. Drivers with pre-registered plates or active permits do not need to stop, press a button, or collect a ticket -- the barrier opens as they approach. Entry time is tracked by plate automatically.
The microwave sensor activates the console and the LPR camera as the vehicle enters the detection zone. The driver does not need to stop or interact with the console unless the system prompts them to do so.
The system queries its registered plate database in real time. If the plate matches an active permit, a monthly subscription, a visitor pre-authorization, or a prior check-in, the query returns a valid session. Recognition is completed in under one second with 98% accuracy. The plate database supports US, European, and Latin American plate formats.
No ticket. No button press. No interaction required. The barrier opens as the match is confirmed. The system logs the entry timestamp, plate number, and associated account or permit. The driver proceeds without stopping.
Once the vehicle is inside, the open session is tracked against the plate number. Duration accumulates in real time and is available in the monitoring dashboard. For pre-paid subscriptions (monthly, weekly, hourly blocks), the system deducts from the balance automatically.
For drivers with pre-registered payment accounts, charges are applied automatically on exit with no interaction needed. Drivers without a pre-registered account visit the APS before exiting, enter their plate number, and pay by card, NFC, or QR. The APS looks up the session by plate and calculates the amount due.
At the exit lane, the LPR camera reads the plate again. If the session has been settled (automatic account deduction or APS payment), the barrier opens immediately. Exit is as frictionless as entry for pre-registered account holders -- no interaction with any terminal required.
Hybrid is our recommended configuration for most commercial parking facilities. It delivers the speed and convenience of contactless access for known vehicles while maintaining a ticket-based fallback for first-time visitors -- and adds Face Parking as the highest available layer of security and audit capability.
The microwave sensor detects the vehicle and activates the console, LPR camera, and Face Parking module simultaneously. The system begins processing all three data streams in parallel from the moment of detection.
Within one second, the LPR camera captures the plate and the system queries its database. The result is one of two outcomes: the plate is recognized (registered permit or known vehicle), or the plate is not found. This classification determines the access path.
If the plate is found in the database, the barrier opens without requiring any driver interaction. The entry is logged with plate, timestamp, account, and Face Parking data if enabled. This path is identical to pure Contactless mode.
If the plate is not found, the console prompts the driver and the thermal printer issues a QR ticket. The plate is linked to the ticket at this moment -- even though the plate was not recognized as a registered vehicle, it is still captured and logged as an audit record. The driver proceeds as in Traditional mode.
Independent of whether the vehicle took the contactless or ticket path, Face Parking runs simultaneously if enabled. The NIR sensor array on the console captures the driver's face through the windshield and side windows, including heavily tinted glass. The system matches the face against the driver database and creates a record: plate + face + entry timestamp. If a face is recognized as associated with a different registered plate, an alert is generated. This combination -- plate recognition, ticket trail, and driver identification -- creates the most complete audit record available in any commercially available parking system.
Ticket-path drivers pay at the APS using cash, card, NFC, or QR before exiting. Contactless-path drivers with pre-registered accounts pay automatically on exit. All drivers can pay at the APS by entering their plate number if preferred. For retail facilities, the POS integration allows payment at the store checkout for both ticket and contactless sessions.
At the exit lane, the LPR camera reads the plate. For contactless-path vehicles with settled accounts, the barrier opens immediately. For ticket-path vehicles, the exit console reads the QR ticket and confirms payment. The transaction closes with an exit timestamp, duration, payment amount, payment method, plate number, and Face Parking record if captured. All data is retained in the cloud platform and accessible for investigations, disputes, and reporting.
All three modes run on identical hardware. The difference is in the software configuration and which capabilities are active. You can switch modes remotely at any time.
| Feature | Traditional | Contactless | Hybrid (Recommended) |
|---|---|---|---|
| QR ticket on entry | Yes | No | Fallback only |
| LPR plate recognition | Audit only | Yes -- primary | Yes -- primary |
| LPR accuracy | 98% | 98% | 98% |
| Face Parking | Optional | Optional | Included |
| Plate + face record per transaction | No | No | Yes |
| Driver pre-registration required | No | Yes | Optional (for automatic entry) |
| Entry for first-time visitors | Yes -- ticket | No -- must pre-register | Yes -- ticket fallback |
| Cash payment | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Card payment (Visa, MC, Amex) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NFC (Apple Pay, Google Pay) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Retail POS integration | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Entry speed | Standard | Fast | Fast (known) / Standard (fallback) |
| Security level | Medium | Medium-High | Maximum |
| Best for | High visitor volume | Employee lots, monthly permits | Mixed-use: all facility types |
Traditional mode issues a QR ticket on entry and validates it on exit after payment at the APS. Contactless mode uses LPR plate recognition to open the barrier automatically for registered plates -- no ticket required. Hybrid combines both: registered plates get automatic entry, unrecognized plates get a fallback ticket. Hybrid also supports Face Parking for dual plate + face identification. All three modes are available on the same hardware platform and can be switched via remote configuration.
No. Every system we install includes the hardware necessary to support all three modes. The consoles, barriers, LPR cameras, and payment stations are identical regardless of which mode you intend to operate. The mode is a software setting that can be changed remotely at any time, without any hardware modifications or on-site service visits. This means you can start with Traditional mode and migrate to Hybrid later as your operation and database of registered plates grow -- at no additional hardware cost.
Our Automated Payment Stations accept cash (bill recycler supporting up to 4 denominations with automatic change dispensing, coin acceptor supporting up to 13 denominations), credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover), contactless NFC payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay, and compatible NFC-enabled cards), and QR codes. For retail facilities, our POS integration module allows drivers to pay for parking at the store checkout register, along with their purchase, without visiting the APS at all.
Face Parking is proprietary technology developed exclusively by Automated Machines. It uses NIR (Near-Infrared) sensor arrays embedded in the entry console to capture and identify the driver's face, even through heavily tinted windows. The technology works independently of visible-light conditions -- it functions equally well in bright sunlight and at night. It generates a dual record per transaction: the license plate and the driver's face, with a timestamp and video reference. Alerts are generated when a known face is associated with a plate different from the one currently arriving. A searchable face and plate database supports investigations and dispute resolution. Full privacy compliance documentation -- including driver notification signage, consent language, and data handling protocols -- is included with every Face Parking deployment.
Our LPR camera (model UP-LPR101V2) achieves a 98% recognition rate under standard operating conditions. It uses a dedicated Hisilicon OCR processor optimized for license plate reading, 4 MP resolution, and 4 high-power white LEDs for both daytime and nighttime operation, down to a minimum 0.01 Lux. Supported plate formats include North American (all US and Canadian formats), European standards, and Latin American formats. The camera operates in a temperature range of -35C to +70C, making it suitable for outdoor installation in all US climates.
In Hybrid mode (our recommended configuration), a failed LPR read automatically triggers the ticket fallback. The console prompts the driver, who presses the entry button and receives a QR ticket. The session then proceeds as Traditional mode. No vehicle is ever blocked at the entry lane due to a missed plate read. This is one of the core advantages of Hybrid over pure Contactless mode: you get the speed and convenience of contactless access for the majority of known vehicles, with a guaranteed entry path for every vehicle regardless of whether the plate can be read. In practice, with a 98% recognition rate, fewer than 1 in 50 vehicles will trigger the fallback under normal conditions.
Yes. Our retail POS integration module connects the parking management system directly to the store's point-of-sale terminals. When a customer completes a retail purchase, the checkout system can apply parking discounts and/or collect payment for parking as part of the same transaction. The parking session associated with the customer's plate is automatically marked as paid. When the driver reaches the exit lane, the LPR camera confirms the plate and the barrier opens without requiring any additional payment or interaction with the APS. This integration is particularly effective for large-format retail (supermarkets, big-box stores, shopping centers) where parking validation is a standard customer service offering.
