Implemented project:
System for authorizing and controlling vehicle entry into Bratislava's old town

Precision, reliability, and functionality—simply a modern solution fit for 21st-century municipalities. That’s what the Bratislava Staré Mesto district expected from the hackathon titled "Hack Your Way into the Historic City Center." The event took place on September 8–9, 2023, as part of the Hacknime.to project, organized by the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development, and Informatization of Slovakia and the Recovery and Resilience Plan of Slovakia. "The system for efficient control and automation of vehicle entry into the historic city center was an important step for us toward preserving the character and safety of the pedestrian zone. The historic center has specific needs, and thanks to data, we can continuously evaluate and adjust entry regulations," said the Mayor of the Bratislava–Old Town district, Matej Vagač.

The primary goal for 60 participants and 17 teams was to design solutions that would optimize traffic, enhance safety, and reduce the environmental burden in the historic city center. Over 48 hours, teams analyzed the current traffic situation, engaged in discussions with experts, mentors, and local government representatives. The biggest challenge? Deciding whether to keep the existing rising bollards or find a new way to regulate vehicle entry.

The ZARF team’s solution for vehicle entry control and authorization was deemed the most creative, effective, feasible, and cost-efficient. Their approach eliminated the need for rising bollards and instead proposed an advanced camera system with LED panels that signal to both the driver and the public whether the vehicle is permitted to enter. The payment system—essentially a municipal tax—was designed to work via QR codes and payment kiosks.

The Fireflies team placed second, and the programmers from the Wezeo team took third place. All awardees received a financial reward.

Following the hackathon, Bratislava Staré Mesto envisioned a modernized system with key benefits:

This innovative approach marks a significant step towards sustainable and smart urban mobility in Bratislava’s historic center.

The outcome of the project is a modern information system designed for the effective administration and registration of motor vehicle entries into the Staré Mesto (Old Town) district. Its goal is to streamline the entry permit application process, ensure transparent permit control, and improve oversight of vehicle movement in the city’s central zone. Additionally, the system contributes to the digital modernization of municipal administration, reduces administrative burden, and enhances traffic management in the historic city center.

IS Staré Mesto was developed using the Modulario platform by Amcef s.r.o., which enables the rapid and flexible creation of custom information systems tailored to the needs of public administration. As a result, system functionalities can be easily expanded and adapted to the current requirements of the municipality.

The system enables user management, including registration, login, password recovery, and access rights administration. Administrators can easily add, edit, or delete user accounts, ensuring flexibility and control over system access. A key feature is the registry of individuals and vehicles, where detailed data can be recorded, such as name, address, license plate number, user type, entry category, and entry purpose.

To facilitate working with large volumes of data, the system supports bulk import and export of information in .xlsx format. It covers the entire process of entry permit handling—from submission and approval or rejection to generating and printing permits. A vehicle movement tracking feature allows for monitoring actual entries into the city. The system also includes extensive filtering and search options based on various criteria—ranging from personal data and license plate numbers to addresses and time of entry. With a structured system of classifications (application types, entry purposes, tax exemptions, or parking locations), data consistency and accuracy are ensured.