There have been great benefits of the evolution of technology in law enforcement and security. Surveillance has been very vital for modern cities. Traffic control systems are being developed and face recognition software is being installed to detect criminals. There are plenty of devices set across the cities to detect RFID tags and license plates.
Locating criminals and punishing traffic rules violators has never been so easy. These days, cameras and sensors detect almost every activity on the roads. Over 10,000 lives had been lost in 2017 alone and over 25% of those are traffic fatalities. Around 66% of traffic fatalities happen due to harsh driving. So, higher control is surely needed.
So, governments have strong reasons to apply all the possible measures which are required to control aggressive drivers and punish those who violate road safety rules. It is important before it’s too late and their behaviour becomes responsible for a tragic accident.
This way, a lot of highways and cities’ authorities have installed automatic number plate recognition system. It uses image processing technology to detect vehicles with license plates. There are three main steps used for detection – license plate detection, motion sensing, and license plate tracking.
There are plenty of advantages of using a license plate detection system but it also has some cons. In this guide, we are going to cover the pros and cons of this tech.
Pros of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)
Surveillance and Monitoring
With the help of automatic number plate recognition software, you can easily avoid the stressful and time-consuming process of recording numbers manually. It is next to impossible to spot the right license plate number, especially when a car is speeding. Along with recording license plate numbers, ANPR systems can give a clear insight to traffic whereabouts in real-time.
Better Security
Automatic license plate recognition is capable to deter constant traffic offences. It is helpful to reactive security like forensics, inspections, investigations, and legal matters. Automatic number plate recognition is helpful in almost all aspects. According to the survey, it is very useful to catch stolen vehicles.
Video footage and stills
A lot of automatic license plate detection systems offer both video footage and still images. Some of these systems are designed especially to capture snapshots of speeding vehicles, taking wrong turns, and skipping red light. It records with different angles and positions as well as weather conditions. Video footage is helpful for legal counsel and traffic control departments.
No or fewer needs for manned surveillance
With the reduced need for manned surveillance, some say it a con. But it is not true in all the ways. Traffic personnel can save their time on the streets and work on the information that the license plate recognition software provides and it is a lot more efficient. This system provides a lot of accuracies.
Cons of Automatic License Plate Recognition System
Privacy
It is true that records and images are stored and kept but it leads to some issues related to privacy. Usually, people are worried that the information of their whereabouts might be misused which are recorded in those footages. It can get into wrong hands or be subject to data thefts.
But experts claim that automatic number plate recognition doesn’t infringe the privacy of anyone. License plate numbers are all police needs as they are issued for public safety. In addition, this system checks every plate automatically and it doesn’t involve any discrimination. The agencies which are responsible are considering these privacy concerns and ensure the safety of people on the roads.
Extreme weather can affect the accuracy
Hindrances and extreme weather conditions can affect the accuracy of automatic license plate recognition software. Manned surveillance would be required because automatic security systems might not work.
Bottom Line
Modern traffic enforcement systems are not intended to affect the privacy of people as they collect details of someone’s whereabouts only when something wrong is detected. License Plate Recognition software isn’t doing anything wrong, despite any concerns about privacy. The sole purpose of collecting information is to ensure public safety on the roads and prevent violation of safety rules. Traffic control systems have been developed by a lot of cities to keep track on the flow of vehicles and movements.
