Automated License Plate Recognition



Automated License Plate Recognition [wiki] or ALPR technology is not exactly new: it was invented in 1976 and is currently used to for traffic congestion control in London.

Canada is testing out a portable system using a specially outfitted police cars: cameras on the outside of the car will automatically scan license plates of cars as the policeman drives - and the computer will ping if it finds a match of the license plate with a hit from databases of stolen vehicles, outstanding warrants, etc.

Predictably, critics are accusing the system as being Big Brother-worthy. Oh, and see if you can find the "irony" in the video clip. Hint: it’s a guy driving.

Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - Thanks matthew!


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Posted on July 10, 2007 at 4:38 pm by Alex
Category: Crime & Law, Video Clips



9 Comments to "Automated License Plate Recognition"

  • Jaxx
    July 10th, 2007 at 4:56 pm

    Spoiler:

    No seatbelt.

  • quinnn
    July 10th, 2007 at 4:59 pm

    anyone else feel a cold chill go up their spine?

  • Solo
    July 10th, 2007 at 5:06 pm

    It’s pretty obvious that the data will not be stored for further mining. After all, who would it server to build an even partial database of whatever car has been seen at whet place and when.

    Then we’ll have fixed camera pointing in all direction, so we’ll know who goes where and when.

    No, no, no, that won’t happen, because this is the Land of the Free. In the UK though, yes, they’re well past that point.

  • vandoo
    July 10th, 2007 at 5:17 pm

    paranoia will destroy ya

  • RooBoy
    July 10th, 2007 at 10:51 pm

    Actually as dumb as it is.. the police are not required to wear seatbelts while driving… it can be a hinderance when trying to exit the vehicle quickly when a foot chase is needed… or the donut van has overturned and they need to grab as many donuts as possible before the tow trucks arrives!!!

  • Chris
    July 10th, 2007 at 11:26 pm

    mmm… next time I steal a car, I’ll put a sh*tload of bumper stickers (back AND front). See what the software will do with this uber information!

    or there’s still the electromagnetic pulse thingy, but my hardware store ran out of it ;)

  • Steve
    July 11th, 2007 at 3:25 am

    I live in italy, and the police found my car in a parking lot just one month after it was stolen, and they used a device like that. When they explained how they found it I felt the cold chill go up my spine that quinnn is talking about :)

  • bLiNdLuCk
    July 11th, 2007 at 7:50 am

    Stop being overly paranoid.

    I like this idea, anything that can help catch criminals before they commit another crime is good in my books.

    Besides, I don’t care if the police have a record of where I park my car.

  • ted
    July 11th, 2007 at 12:51 pm

    You won’t care until you’re framed for murder.

    My understanding:
    Police regularly keep track of licence plates in certain areas, parked or not. Sometimes, a plate is kept in their records for a few weeks, in case any crimes are reported.

    Any time you’re stopped in traffic near a cop, they’re running plates through their computer. This just does it faster.

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