With advanced technology paving the way for futuristic options, concepts like Amazon Go stores have emerged – just grab and go! This leads us to ponder, what is autonomous gas station? Imagine having the same convenience at gas stations – just refuel and drive!
The freedom to cast away sleepless nights and keep the business booming at odd hours seems too good to be true. However, at Sirix, we aim to provide you all of that [with an extra layer of security just in case]
The word Autonomous refers to something that can govern itself; and what would be a better option than having a fully automated gas station that can eradicate all your worries about employee safety, customer satisfaction, and of course any dangers of theft?
How does an Autonomous gas station work?
Before diving into all the benefits, costs, and all sorts of advantages you will acquire when fully equipped with this technology, we should learn about how it actually works.
Process:
Let’s begin with how it works,
Let’s suppose a vehicle comes into the driveway at your gas station:
- The driveway is equipped with high-quality cameras placed at an angle where the vehicle’s number plate, the owner’s face, and other identifiable characteristics can be captured without hindrance.
- When an approaching vehicle is detected by the camera’s AI, an alarm is sent to the security monitoring center.
- A virtual guard working from the security monitoring center responds to the alarm by closely monitoring every aspect of the transaction until it is completed.
- In the event that the procedures are not followed or unforeseen difficulties arise, the remote security operator has access to a two-way intercom to communicate with the individual. When necessary, the operator has the authority to halt the transaction.
- The video footage and audio transmissions (if any) of the event are available on cloud storage to view and extract data for later use.
Technology:
Certainly, when you get advanced autonomous technology like this one to optimize your business, it has to be backed up by state-of-the-art equipment and software.
Let’s examine the building blocks of a future gas station – more specifically – what we offer to materialize it.
Cameras:
High-definition cameras must be installed which can include License Plate recognition cameras and Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras to ensure maximum security and recognition.
Thermal Imaging cameras can also be placed to send alerts in case of overheating, gas leaks, or hazards like a fire.
Motion Detectors:
A wide variety of motion detectors, like PIR and Microwave motion detectors, can also be installed, allowing you to protect your premises in case of unforeseen circumstances and automatically identifying movements.
AI Video Analytics and Software:
In addition to identifying people and objects at the fuel pump and sending alerts to your personal smart device and the remote security operator, an autonomous gas station serves other purposes as well.
shortages. Stop theft.
secure. Night and day.
Smart surveillance keeps unattended stations secure. Night and day.
For a unified and easily manageable security solution for the entire location, AI technology can be combined with surveillance software designed specifically for motion detection, identification, and live monitoring.
Intercom Assistance:
It might seem like a normal feature; however, the need for intercom communication cannot be stressed enough. Remotely communicating with an operator with this autonomous experience is crucial to the safety and security of any individual or business.
A remote operator with access to an intercom will be able to give instructions, raise concerns and even intervene if they suspect malice. The virtual guard can voice any warnings and simultaneously alert security if suspicious activity is detected.
Alert Sensors:
These can send an automatic alert to your smartphone and the required authorities if triggered through unauthorized access, intrusion of premises, or any smoke/fire situation.
Data Storage:
Even if someone gets away with skimming, theft, vandalism, or any other crime; you can easily extract the necessary information and give it to the police, which can count as evidence in case of a lawsuit.
For a more detailed breakdown of how to reduce these risks at unattended sites, read our guide to security strategies for autonomous gas stations.
Sirix gives you maximum flexibility with encrypted data storage devices and clouds that can only be accessed by you or your trusted employees.
Operations Center:
This is the most important element of all the technology that goes into giving you autonomous services. Benefits of technology are reaped most when machine meets human.
We guarantee maximum optimization of your business with our technology by employing a team of operators who are available to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Indeed, our highly trained guards/operators ensure that your autonomous gas station is as safe as possible. They are always virtually present, monitoring your premises to provide the highest level of security.
What are the primary benefits of using an autonomous gas station?
There are a number of advantages to gas station automation including but not limited to cost-effectiveness, more accessibility, enhanced safety protocols, efficient working tools, and of course the convenience all of this will provide you.
However, let’s talk about the most important issues at hand:
