ParkMe
Smarter Parking for a Smarter You.
The problem ParkMe solves
🚗 Smart Parking Allocation: ParkMe eliminates the hassle of searching for a spot by providing real-time parking availability and reserving spots in advance.
⏳ Time & Fuel Efficiency: By guiding users to the nearest available parking space, ParkMe reduces time spent circling for parking, leading to lower fuel consumption and less traffic congestion.
🔒 Enhanced Security: Integrated with CCTV surveillance and number plate scanning, ParkMe ensures secure parking, alerting users in case of unauthorized access or vehicle damage.
📲 Convenient & Contactless Payments: No more fumbling for cash—ParkMe offers digital payment options for seamless parking transactions.
🎟 Exclusive Perks & Rewards: Users parking at partnered locations can receive discounts and vouchers, enhancing the overall experience.
📊 Data-Driven Insights: Businesses and authorities can use analytics from ParkMe to optimize parking spaces and improve urban planning.
Challenges we ran into
Building ParkMe came with several technical and operational challenges. Here are some key hurdles we faced and how we overcame them:
🛠 1. Handling Real-Time Parking Updates Efficiently
Challenge: Keeping track of parking availability in real-time without causing server overload.
Solution: We optimized our database queries using MongoDB indexes and implemented WebSockets for instant updates instead of relying solely on API polling.
🔐 2. Secure Authentication & Authorization
Challenge: Ensuring secure user authentication while allowing seamless login sessions.
Solution: We implemented JWT-based authentication with role-based access control (RBAC) to differentiate between users, admins, and parking lot owners.
🚗 3. Number Plate Recognition & Security Alerts
Challenge: Accurately reading and processing vehicle number plates for entry authentication.
Solution: We integrated AI-powered Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and OpenCV to improve accuracy and minimize errors in number plate scanning.
⚡ 4. Preventing API Rate Limits & Server Overload
Challenge: Handling a high number of API requests for slot bookings, payments, and security alerts.
Solution: We implemented Redis caching for frequently accessed data, used queue-based processing for heavy tasks, and optimized API response times.
🛑 5. Debugging Authentication Token Issues
Challenge: Users were getting "Access Denied. No valid token provided" errors despite being logged in.
Solution: We fixed token retrieval by ensuring proper Bearer token format, debugging middleware, and using Postman & console logs to validate authentication headers.
Lessons Learned
Real-time updates require efficient event-driven architectures like WebSockets.
Security is critical—robust encryption & access control must be a priority.
Performance optimization using caching, indexing, and queues improves scalability.
Testing & debugging with tools like Postman, MongoDB Compass, and console logging saves time.