Mall of America has announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations.

With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events.

Axis deployment

Axis highlights that MOA stands at 5.6 million square feet and home to more than 500 retailers, restaurants and more.

The mall hosts more than 300 events each year and has more than 32 million visitors annually from around the globe.

Scheduling those events, ranging from a concert to a massive outdoor food festival, requires careful planning to ensure the Mall can support parking operations and provide safety and security to those in attendance.

By expanding its surveillance system and investing in AI-enabled video analytics with Axis Communications, the Mall says that it was able to meet its requirements for a reliable, accurate and scalable solution to support its 24/7 security and safety operations.

The success of the initial test led MOA to expand the implementation to more than a dozen locations, Axis notes.

The car-counting data now drives macro-level decisions about Mall hours and event planning, as well as micro-level scheduling for vendors and staff, empowering operational agility across the organization.

“Keep pace with our evolving needs”

Aaron Nielsen, Vice President of Information Technology at MOA commented: “We needed technology that could keep pace with our evolving needs and make sure our security team could focus on the highest-priority tasks.

“Our previous solution struggled with the unpredictable Midwestern weather, including snow, rain and cold, all impacting accuracy and reliability.”

Nielsen concluded: “Car counting is one of the most important operational metrics we have. Implementing a system that delivers accurate data allows us to quickly scale from one location to more than a dozen additional locations throughout the Mall, providing efficiency and invaluable information for our team.”

MOA

According to the company, with this expansion, MOA can:

Deploy Solutions Anywhere

• A trial began with an Axis camera deployed in a particularly challenging location on a light pole isolated from the building
• Despite difficult access to power and data, the trial system proved over 99% accurate
• After minor adjustments, the performance improved even further

Drive Decisions with Analytics

• By deploying AI-enabled line-crossing analytics at the edge, MOA benefits from a more rugged, scalable and cost-effective approach to decision-making, powered by the business intelligence these devices gather
• This is especially useful in locations where the Mall entrance meets busy intersections, as the line-crossing technology can precisely draw the distinction between a car entering the Mall versus one that is merely passing by

Create a Smarter Security Strategy

• Beyond parking intelligence, Axis’ technology supports the Mall’s broader security strategy
• Cameras and Axis network speakers installed in restricted areas detect and deter unauthorized access in real-time and alerts are immediately sent to the Mall’s central dispatch center

Prioritize Employee Safety

• With unpredictable Minnesota winters, keeping employees and customers safe was key to this technology deployment
• With this new system, adjustments to the devices are intuitive and what used to require ladders, lifts and multiple people can now be done from a desktop
• Non-technical team members can review audits, make changes and immediately analyze results from a safe location

“Collaboration, trust and innovation”

James Stark, Segment Development Manager, Retail, Axis Communications stated: “Mall of America presented us with a challenge that required not just technology, but collaboration, trust and innovation.

“We’re honored to be part of their forward-looking approach to safety and operational intelligence.

“As Mall of America continues to lead the way in experiential retail and entertainment, we remain committed to delivering the reliability, flexibility and insight-driven technology that their dynamic environment demands,” Stark added.