ANPR Cameras May Eventually Replace – Rather than Just Supplement – Parking Barriers

Automated number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras could eventually replace parking barriers, according to research firm IHS.

In recent years, ANPR cameras have increasingly formed part of the package by which authorities track cars entering and leaving car parks.

However, barriers, payment machines and loop detectors may be replaced entirely by ANPR cameras, IHS associate director for access control & fire Justin Siller believes.

Until recently many sites had ANPR equipment that was only capable of reading numberplates when vehicles were motionless. Hence, barriers were still required.

However, the latest generation of ANPR technology can read plates of cars entering or exiting at speed – and at a realistic price for car park operators. Thus, the need for barriers can be negated.

Parking barriers and loop detectors are widespread and have been used for many years, but eliminating the use of these products in favour of barrier-free parking is slowly starting to gain traction.

Free-flow parking can use ANPR technology to scan plates of cars as they enter and exit a facility, offering real benefits to parking lot operators and customers.

One benefit of barrier-free parking is it can eliminate bottlenecks at entrances and exits.

Another benefit is it can be extremely expensive to build entry/exit lanes. With faster throughputs, fewer lanes would be required because cars would be able to easily move in and out of the structure.

The additional space could be used for more parking spots, creating the possibility of lower costs and higher returns for parking lot owners.

Today, the main barriers to widespread acceptance free-flow parking are ANPR equipment prices and the possibility of lost payments.

Parking facilities that use ANPR cameras today typically install low-cost solutions because parking barriers are present. Cars are required to come to a complete stop in the entrance and exit lanes, which makes a low-end product sufficient enough to scan, read, and produce an image of the license plate.

If the barriers are removed, cars would be in motion when driving through the lanes, which requires a better and more expensive product.

Providing sufficient parking spaces in increasingly congested urban environment is among municipal traffic authorities’ pressing concerns around the world.

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