ALPR / NPR Recognition Accuracy and Issues

Author: Carlton Purvis, Published on Jan 15, 2014

Sick of red light and speed cameras? A lot of people are. There are entire websites and web forums devoted to the public’s disdain for automated policing. But is there a way to beat them? Forget the aerosol sprays and chunky license plate covers. In this post we show you, straight from a US government commissioned report, what things have been proven to give ALPR systems problems in reading plate numbers.

Because more and more law enforcement agencies are using automatic license plate recognition, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, with a grant from the National Institute of Justice was commissioned to asses ALPR implementation among U.S. agencies. It used results from 305 agencies across the U.S. including one of the biggest ALPR users, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. The final report is where this data comes from.

The most common types of ALPR being used by U.S. agencies is mobile. Ninety-five percent of respondents said they used mobile APLR, while under 20% use fixed or portable.

******** *** *** **** ********* ******

*******, ****** *** *** ****** ******* *** **** **** ** the *****, ********* ** *** ******.

ALPR ******

******* **** ** **** **** ****** **** ******** ***** ** an *********** *******. **** *** *** ***** **** ****** *********** in *** ******:

***** ** **** ******

******* **** ******* ***** **** ** ************, ****** **** *** bent, ***** ** ******* “*** ***** *** **** ******** ** misidentify * *********.”

******** ************

**** *****, *** ******* *** **** **** *** ****** ******** obstructions **** *** **** ** * ************* ******* *****. ******** **** ******** * ***** ** **** *** ******* *** something **** **** * ******* ****, *** **** ******* **** SUV ****** **** **** **** *** **** *******.

*** ****** ******** ***** ******** ** ********** ******:

******* *****

“**** ******, ********** ******* *****, *** ** ********* *** **********[*] ** ****,” *** ***** ****. ** *****’* *** *** but ** **** *** ***** ****** *** * ***** ****** on *** **** ** **** ****** ** ***** ** **** a *****. *** **** ** ***** ******* **** **** ***** to ***** *** ****** * *****, *** ***** ** *** characters **** ****.

****** ******

***** ****** **** *** ****** *** ******** ** * **** are ******* *** ******* *** ****** ** ***, *** ****** says, *** ** *****'* ******** ******* **** ** ****** ** worse *** *********** ***** *******. **** ******* ****'* ********** ** read ****** **** ***** ******. *** ****** **** *** ******** which ***** ***.

Capture *** **** *****

**** ** *.*. **** ******* *** **** ***** ** **** to ****, *** ***** *** *** ****** ********** *********** ***** for ******'********* ****** ******:

*.*. *** ************** ******* *** ******** ********* *******, **** ***** ********* ***** ************. Two ********* **** *** *****:

"********** ****** (**) ****** **********, *** *******, *** ********* **** a ****** ******* ******** **** **** ******* **,*** ******, ********* in *** ******** ** *** ******* *********, *** ************** ** 26 ******* **** ********* ********, ** ******* ******** *********, * stolen *** * ******* ******* ***** ****, *** * ******* in *** ****** ** ** ***** ** *** **** ** days."
** **** **** ** ******** ** *** *.*. ****** ****** law *********** ******* ***,*** ****** *** “**** *,*** **** ******** in * *******, ** *****, ** *********, *** ********, *** burglaries, *** ******* ******, *** *******, *** *** ********* *****.”

ALPR ****?

******-**** ******* ** *** ******** ***** **** **** ** ****** for **** *****. **** (** *******) ******** ** ******** ** vehicle ********** *** ******* ** **** ***** ***** ***** ******** ALPR. *** ***** **** ****** **** **** **** ***********, ***** and **** ***** *********** *** *********** ******* ****.

Are * *** ** ******** ***** ****?

*** ****** ** ******** ***** **** ** ******* ******** ***** year. ** *** *** ******** ******** ** *** ****, ** (23%) **** **** **** ****. * ******* ****** **** **** found **** ****** ******** **** ******** *** ********** ** * faster ****. ** ***** ****** ******** (**,*** ** **** ********), 71 ******* *** ****.

Do **** ******** **** ******** *** **** ***?

**** ** ***. **** ** ******* ******** *** *** ******* policies *** **** ***.

How **** ** **** **** ******?

****** ** ******* ** *** ******** ******** ***** *** **** for *** ******, ** ******* ***** ** ************. ****** **** (43 *******) ******* ***** “*** *****” *****.

Comments (3)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

01/15/14 05:38pm

As a manufacturer's rep, I know that we struggle with the issues above, but also personalized plates lack the reflective coating that standard-issued plates have, so that reduces the LPR camera's ability to "illuminate" the plate with IRs.

Grupo Gerenciamento de Imagens P&D

01/21/14 12:36pm

Does the report mention if white light is allowed in the US or only IR illuminator?

Carlton Purvis

In reply to Grupo Gerenciamento de Imagens P&D | 01/21/14 03:25pm

No it does not. The report mostly focused on stats and said very little about specific equipment.

Login to read this IPVM report.

Why do I need to log in?

IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

IPVM has verified that DIY security system provider SimpliSafe, founded in 2006 and acquired in June of 2018 at a billion dollar valuation, is...

Nortek Sues SDS, Battle Over Unpaid Bill and Cancelled Lines on Aug 13, 2018

Nortek and SDS legal battle continues. As IPVM reported, SDS sued Nortek alleging bribery and antitrust violation. However, Wave fired back at SDS,...

Axis / Avigilon Legal Battle Rises on Aug 09, 2018

In what is shaping up to be high-powered, will-not-back-down battle, Axis and Avigilon are squaring off in multiple legal contests. In 2017, IPVM...

Struggling Ascent Hiding Under Brinks on Aug 07, 2018

The market cap of Brinks Home Security, Monitronics, MONI, Ascent Capital Group (whatever one calls them) is down 96% over the past 5 years as the...

US Congress Passes Bill Banning Dahua and Hikvision on Aug 02, 2018

The bill banning US government use of Dahua and Hikvision products has been passed by both chambers of Congress (House vote, Senate vote). The US...

Wave Retorts: SDS 'Desperate' And 'Defeated' on Aug 01, 2018

Distributor SDS has sued Nortek and distributor Wave Electronics alleging bribery, conspiracy, antitrust violations and violations of state laws...

US SAFETY Act Examined Amid Vegas Shooting Lawsuit on Jul 25, 2018

Creating an international controversy, MGM Resorts has sued shooting victims, despite or perhaps because the Las Vegas gunman used the MGM-owned...

Bribes Alleged, Nortek Sued For Antritrust Violation on Jul 23, 2018

A case of an unhappy distributor rival or did a manufacturer accept bribes? Nortek Security and Control has been sued by distributor Security...

Hikvision Wins Chinese Government Forced Facial Recognition Project Across 967 Mosques on Jul 16, 2018

Hikvision has won a Chinese government tender which requires that facial recognition cameras be set up at the entrance of every single mosque...

Hikvision Fights Ban - Claims 'Red Scare', Hires 14 Term Ex-Congressman on Jul 11, 2018

Hikvision is fighting back against the House Bill Ban of their products. Hikvision has hired one of the biggest lobbying firms, led by a 14 term...

Most Recent Industry Reports

2Gig Gun Lock / Motion Detector Tested on Aug 17, 2018

Safer guns for families and an opportunity for security dealers to sell more services? That is the aim of Nortek's 2GIG 'Gun Motion Detector'...

Video Analytics Integration Guide on Aug 16, 2018

Video analytics is hot again (at least conceptually) but integrating video analytics with VMSes can be challenging. This is especially significant...

Hikvision IP Camera Critical Vulnerability 2018 Disclosed on Aug 16, 2018

The same day that the US government passed a prohibition on Hikvision cameras, Hikvision disclosed a critical vulnerability for its IP...

ISS VMS / Video Analytics Company Profile on Aug 16, 2018

Who is ISS? In the past few months, they had one of the craziest ISC West promo items in years. Then, they hired industry veteran and ex-Dahua...

Chinese OEM Avycon Gets ADI Push on Aug 15, 2018

Who is Avycon? An American company? A Korean company? A couple of guys relabelling Chinese products? The latter is the best explanation. While...

Backboxes for Video Surveillance Tutorial on Aug 15, 2018

Backboxes are a necessity in surveillance, whether for managing cable whips, recessing cameras, adding wireless radios. But it can be confusing to...

Genetec Stratocast / Comcast 'Motion Insights' Examined on Aug 15, 2018

Comcast recently announced "SmartOffice Motion Insights", an extension to their Genetec OEMed cloud video service (covered by IPVM here). This...

SimpliSafe Violating California, Florida, and Texas Licensing Laws on Aug 14, 2018

IPVM has verified that DIY security system provider SimpliSafe, founded in 2006 and acquired in June of 2018 at a billion dollar valuation, is...

Ban of Dahua and Hikvision Is Now US Gov Law on Aug 13, 2018

The US President has signed the 2019 NDAA into law, banning the use of Dahua and Hikvision (and their OEMs) for the US government, for US...

Cut Milestone Licensing Costs 80% By Using Hikvision and Dahua NVRs (Tested) on Aug 13, 2018

Enterprise VMS licensing can be quite expensive, with $200 or more per channel common, meaning a 100 camera system can cost $20,000 in VMS...