Apollo Automation PA-1 (Parking Sensor)
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Announcing the PA-1, a smart parking sensor for your garage.
Is your garage space tight? Are you worried about hitting bikes, a fridge, or a lawnmower that are placed in the front of your garage? The PA-1 can help you park in the perfect spot every time.
To be honest, this idea was born out of personal necessity. I often find myself having to walk in front of my wife's car to access my 3D printers. Sometimes, she parks too close to the wall, blocking my path. I searched the market for existing products that I could mount on the wall, but I wasn't satisfied with the options available. Most of them weren't battery-powered, and the one that was only lasted a couple of months on battery 😢. Additionally, I wasn't pleased with the design of most of the available products.
So, we decided to create our own solution. The PA-1 is significantly smaller, has a cleaner design, and our testing shows that the battery should last for more than a year with normal use.
While this sensor lacks advanced smart capabilities, it can be controlled without the need for Wi-Fi. However, I thought it would be a nice feature for it to alert Home Assistant when someone is pulling into the garage for some animations. If you have any ideas, please let us know.
Do you like it? Do you have any dislikes or ideas for design/feature improvements? We want to hear your feedback.