I first got to know of InMotion Labs when two electric cars equipped with scanners they have created rolled out to the streets of Warsaw. Those EVs drive around the city’s paid parking zone and check whether the fees have been paid.
The technology is quite simple. Car with a scanner on its roof drives on the streets of the paid parking zones and scans the license plates. If the fee wasn’t paid it sends a location of the car to an on-foot team that can doublecheck and gives the ticket. The efficiency skyrockets. In the first month, there were 100 000 cars scanned, 12% got a ticket.
However, the company wants to widen the uses of that very same technology by fitting some of the city buses with the scanners so they can not only check whether the fee was paid, but also inform drivers of free parking spots. That could not only help with finding spots but also limit the congestion and therefore pollution.
Those scanners aren’t InMotion Labs’ main product. Their main product is called Car Scanner and instead of scanning multiple cars at a pace, it scans just one at a time. It isn’t sluggish though. It can fully scan a car in 2 minutes.
The idea was born when the CEO, Sławek Potasz, almost missed a flight due to the long process of checking a car before the return at the rental shop.
“I knew there must be a way to automate processes to save clients their frustration and the rental salon their money,” he said
During the process the rig that automatically moves around the car taking up to 100 HQ pictures. Those pictures are then analyzed by software accompanied by technicians.
I was surprised when I read that it only takes pictures. I thought it’d have a lidar. I may underestimate the amount of information that can be extracted from the pictures, especially that I don’t know what metadata is being collected.
I believe that with further development of the scanner and the constantly growing numbers of scanned cars in their database the analysis will more and more automatic. Those scanners aren’t only used by car rental shops, but also car dealerships and even car producers.
Currently, the company is working on a fully automated robot supporting medics in the fight with coronavirus and on automating some repetitive medical procedures.
I like this company because they provide simple reliable solutions that boost human effectiveness. I’m particularly fond of the first project. I really can’t find a downside to it. It effectively uses the infrastructure that is already there, city buses, and add to them whole another functionality.
https://businessinsider.com.pl/motoryzacja/to-rozwiazanie-polskiego-startupu-moze-zrewolucjonizowac-branze-motoryzacyjna/6yw38sc
https://www.kpt.krakow.pl/en/success-stories/a-breakthrough-solution-in-controlling-vehicles/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_nPpFbzy1g&fbclid=IwAR2U3fUIb3Ukl69RhpLYZF5uI3TmMv4jVw603n1Vuz9MteCK1JZMRiJysvA&ab_channel=Imponderabilia
I agree with you that it is nice that this company uses available infrastructure or city buses and widens their functionality. That is a good approach!
Amazing, the story that started with an unfavorable situation and led to a creative, business idea. Love it!