Definition
Charging Parking Space Occupancy Detection and Integration (from the perspective of parking management) refers to monitoring whether parking spaces equipped with EV charging stations are being effectively used for charging-related parking, rather than focusing on inverter efficiency or charging curves: using methods such as geomagnetic sensors, video parking detection, ground locks, and barrier access control to identify phenomena such as fuel vehicles occupying spaces, vehicles still occupying spaces long after charging is complete, and non-charging vehicles taking up dedicated spaces. Occupancy status and alarm events are uploaded via IoT SIM cards to a shared or interconnected parking and charging operations platform, enabling actions like dynamic billing, SMS reminders, inspection dispatch, lowering locks to refuse non-new-energy license plates, etc. Cellular network connectivity is for the sensing and control terminals on the parking space side, which is at a different level than communication with the BMS inside the EV charging station; this article focuses on the former.
The business motivation is that charging parking spaces are scarce and construction costs are high. If parking order is not controlled, it will reduce charger efficiency and turnover rate, directly impacting station revenue and the experience of EV owners. IoT SIM cards allow detectors in scenarios such as underground garages and outdoor canopies to be networked without wiring; when connected to the platform-side order system, a grace period timer can be started based on the 'charging session ended' signal. If the vehicle does not leave after the grace period, an occupancy fee is triggered. This strategy relies on the stable return of timestamps.
Technical Features
The video solution can recognize the color and type of license plates but is affected by lighting; geomagnetic detection cannot distinguish between fuel and electric vehicles, and it is often combined with license plate recognition or charging gun plug-in status for judgment. The linked execution end may involve lifting the ground lock, switching gate fee rates, or displaying "Charging Only Full" on the guidance screen. IoT traffic is mainly event-based, requiring low-latency downstream (to remind the ground lock to stay raised or refuse entry). In multi-owner scenarios (where property management, pile company, and parking platform belong to different entities), cellular APN and data interfaces need to be defined contractually and technically.
SimtoLink can provide partitioned card pools and routing suggestions to each operator's cloud platform for complexes, highway service areas, on-street charging spaces, etc., reducing the risk of data intermingling. When combined with contactless payment, the occupancy fee can be written as a separate item in the same payment channel, requiring alignment between call records and parking orders.
Use Cases
Applicable to parking scenarios that require "charging priority and strict occupancy enforcement," such as mall underground charging areas, office park charging zones, municipal on-street charging spaces, and highway fast-charging spaces. Linking with parking guidance screens can direct non-charging vehicles to regular parking spaces, reducing unnecessary cruising.
In dispute resolution scenarios, the platform should be able to provide a timeline of space occupancy, detection methods, and confidence levels to avoid disputes caused by "relying solely on manual photos"; IoT SIM card connection logs can serve as corroborative evidence of device-side time credibility and be displayed alongside the end time of the charging order for customer service discretion.
If a complex has both regular and charging parking spaces within the same fire protection zone, guidance strategies should clarify priority to prevent navigation from directing users to a charging area entrance that is already full; the map points of cellular IoT terminals and indoor positioning beacon coordinates need regular calibration to reduce the gap between the "space shown as available on the screen" and actually being occupied by fuel vehicles.