Enhancing Real-Time Smart Parking with IoT and QR-Based Access

Abstract

Smart parking systems have emerged as effective solutions for mitigating urban parking congestion and improving parking facility management within smart city environments. This study presents the design and implementation of an integrated smart parking management system that combines Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, a cloud-based database, and a web-based application within a unified operational framework. The proposed system utilizes ultrasonic sensors for real-time parking space detection, a USB webcam for QR code-based user authentication, and a servo motor for automated gate control, all coordinated through a Raspberry Pi 4 B platform. Firebase Firestore serves as a real-time cloud database for data storage, synchronization, and instant system updates. The developed web application provides user authentication, real-time parking availability monitoring, parking duration tracking, parking fee calculation, and QR-based payment verification. In addition, the system supports customer segmentation and administrative reporting functions to enhance parking management efficiency. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system achieves an average response time of 1.80 s and an overall functional success rate of 95% across vehicle detection, QR authentication, and access control operations. Integrating IoT sensing, QR-based authentication, cloud data synchronization, and automated parking management improves operational efficiency, access control reliability, and user convenience. Overall, the proposed system demonstrates practical applicability for smart parking management and provides a foundation for future intelligent transportation and smart campus applications.