ANPR stands for automated number plate recognition, and it is a technology that allows for the identification of vehicles. It can be used in many different ways to capture data about cars or other objects that are moving through an area. For example, ANPR parking systems use this technology to control car park access by matching the license plates on vehicles with those listed as authorised visitors. This blog post will introduce you to what ANPR is, how it works, and some of its advantages!
The History Of Automatic Number Plate Recognition
Most people are shocked to learn that ANPR has a long history, starting in the late 1970s and continuing into the 21st century. It was created in the United Kingdom in the Police Scientific Development Branch (PSDB) (now named Home Office Scientific Development Branch) in 1976, and early systems were created for usage beginning in 1979.
They were originally designed to automate the process of checking for stolen vehicles. Over time, this technology has been used for more applications, including identifying suspected offenders and recently licensed drivers.
Some Notable Moments in the History of ANPR
- The first arrest that was credited to ANRP was in the detection of a stolen car in 1981.
- The first large-scale use of ANPR was in “The Ring of Steel,” which surrounded the City of London in 1993. ANRP gave authorities the tools they needed to prevent IRA terrorist bombings in the financial district.
- In 2003, again in London, ANPR is used by Transport for London in its first large-scale civil deployment to ensure the London Congestion Charge scheme operates efficiently.
How ANPR Works
ANPR, or Automatic Number Plate Recognition, is a technology that uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle registration plates. ANPR systems are used by law enforcement to track and monitor the movements of vehicles, as well as by parking operators to manage their facilities.
An ANPR system uses cameras mounted at specific points along a road or at the entry and exit points of a car park to capture images of registration plates as they pass. These images are then processed by software that reads the plate numbers and compares them to a database of vehicles. If a match is found, the system will indicate that the vehicle has been found and provide information such as the time and date that the image was taken, the vehicle’s registration number, and the location. As you can see this powerful technology has a wide array of applications, everything from law enforcement to car park management.
ANPR systems are able to process images in real-time, which means that they can be used for time-sensitive applications such as traffic monitoring and anti-terrorism measures. ANPR is also capable of tracking vehicles over long periods, allowing it to monitor suspicious activity or even determine if a vehicle has been used for criminal purposes in the past.
What are the benefits of ANPR?
ANPR systems are one of the most effective ways to put parking management staff back in control of their facility. The key advantages of ANPR camera systems include:
- Reliable performance in all weather and lighting conditions: Trust ANPR cameras with built-in infrared illumination, which work both day and night, regardless of weather conditions.
- Can read and detect international number plates: Gain peace of mind that all number plates, regardless of country, can be tracked and monitored.
- Non-invasive, non-confrontational enforcement: Reduce the risk of on-site conflict with Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued via post.
- Highly accurate: Ensure fewer misunderstandings and disputes with a precise parking management system you can trust.
- 24/7 parking enforcement: Keep your car park secure no matter the time of day.
- No on-site staff required: Cut car park staffing costs and increase remote management across multiple sites.
- Quick installation: Benefit from an efficient ANPR system in no time with a simple installation and minimal disruption to your operations.
- Long-term reliability: Focus on your operations while trusting your ANPR camera system to do its job effectively.
- Eco-friendly options available: Support your business’s sustainability goals with environmentally friendly ANPR cameras that use less energy.
- Real-time statistics, analytics, and data: Gain access to parking trends, peak times, and customer behaviour via a secure web portal.
- Wireless setup: Know that your ANPR system can run on 3G/4G technology with no on-site servers or infrastructure required.
ANPR and Traffic Monitoring
With the advent of Smart Motorways, one of the most important applications of ANPR is in traffic monitoring. There are an enormous number of benefits to using ANPR for traffic monitoring. Some of the many benefits to using ANPR for traffic monitoring include:
- It has a low cost per installed camera
- It can be used as a managerial tool
- It does not require a high level of installation
- It enables cities to manage their resources better
- It’s an effective way to monitor roads at scale
- It can measure the impact of new policies on congestion
- It enables cities to better understand and improve their transportation systems over time, which benefits drivers as well as pedestrians and cyclists. It also helps planners identify where they need to make changes in infrastructure. This means that the city can manage its traffic flow in a much more efficient way.
ANPR and Car Park Management
ANPR allows the operator to monitor the cars coming in and out of their parking facility. This type of monitoring is not only useful for ensuring that no unauthorised vehicles are entering or leaving the site but it can also be used to retrospectively issues parking charge notices for those who are abusing the parking facility.
The ANPR system can capture images of registration plates as vehicles enter and leave, record them, match them against an access database, and send an alarm if there’s a mismatch.
Contact our team today for more information about the parking solutions we can provide. We are available by phone on 03707 203807, or alternatively, you can use our online contact form here and a member of our team will contact you to discuss your enquiry.
