Bad guys beware, there is new technology that will hunt you down and have you singing the jailhouse blues faster than ever before. Harnessing the power of computers, the ALPR (Automatic License Plate Recognition System) allows police to be far more efficient, by no longer relying on just their sharp set of human eyes to spot suspect vehicles.There are three cameras fitted to a police vehicle -- marked or unmarked. In the video after the jump, the vehicle is unmarked, and by just driving down the road, every plate from oncoming traffic, and cars on the side of the road (or the next lane), is logged and analyzed. There's also a side-facing camera which comes into play when cruising parking lots. The system can handle up to 3,000 plates a day, and by making it a passive activity, it turns nabbing bad guys into something akin to playing the lottery.
The system can be anywhere and everywhere, from stationary systems to car-mounted mobile units, there is no hiding from the long arm of the law. All an officer needs to do is drive around. With the system keeping an ever-vigilant watch on all the plates and comparing them with a database of suspect plate numbers, police time is freed up, so they can go about protecting and serving. Heck, while on their way to another call, they may just get lucky and pass a vehicle that "hits", turning it into a bonus score for the day.
Thanks for the tip, Dave!
Video after the jump
[Source: mobilemag]
Automatic Licence Plate Recognition System - video powered by Metacafe
New KITT Attack Mode revealed at Comic Con
London 2008: Honda OSM concept roadster says, "Cheerio!"
London 2008: Lotus unveils the Evora
2010 Chevy Camaro - Official Details and Images
2010 Chevy Camaro - LIVE from the reveal
First Drive: Maserati Quattroporte S in Europe
First Drive: 2008 MINI Cooper S JCW
In the Autoblog Garage:2009 Nissan GT-R
North American Exclusive First Drive: Alfa MiTo
First Drive: 2009 Kia Borrego
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rob @ Feb 13th 2007 2:49PM
Is this even legal? I mean... wait... crap... I hear someone coming to my door... ah... I LOVE YOU BIG BROTHER!
Nick @ Feb 13th 2007 2:56PM
Every breath you take, every move you make....
MikeW @ Feb 13th 2007 2:58PM
Nice police state.
Did he say 'north america'? I do not want the USA to merge with Mexico and Canada. There is nothing to be gained.
http://www.vdare.com/walker/070117_top_ten.htm
Joe @ Feb 13th 2007 3:02PM
well, considering that in order for plate checks to be considered legal it has to be done 'randomly' will this system replace the 'random' checks currently in place?
Fabulo @ Feb 13th 2007 3:08PM
Mmm... wholesale surveillance. And there is absolutely no chance for abuse at all. At all!
Let's just have tracking device implanted under everyone's skins. Only dishonest people have things to hide after all.
Land of the free!
DriftPunch @ Feb 13th 2007 3:13PM
The frog contiunes to boil...
Maybe we should change the final lines in the National Anthem to "Land of the Watched", and "Home of the Skeered"
This is probably just an entry scheme with the goal of intergrating it into radar systems. From violation to ticket printed and in the mailstream in 3 seconds (with the mandated insurance alert of course). If you hear a dripping sound, it's not your faucet, it's your local County Comissioners saliva hitting the floor.
Howard Kerr @ Feb 13th 2007 3:15PM
" All your plates are belong to us..."
Who writes the headlines for AutoBlog?
Just today I was passed by a car with an expired TEMPORARY license "plate" (paper) but I see at least one or two cars with invalid plates everyday. Will this system sound an alarm when the cops pass a car or truck where the plate is expired or doesn't match the car? It appears that all this system does is look for license plate numbers that have been linked to crimes. I would like to think that whoever invented/built this system included an automatic "data dump" feature so that cars can't be matched to a location after a specific period of time.
Scott @ Feb 13th 2007 3:19PM
This is awesome. I eagerly await the day which we are all arrested by the pre-crime division.
Tim UF @ Feb 13th 2007 3:25PM
Howard Kerr: its a play on a poor translation from a late 80's japanese video game. heres a little more info on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_your_base_are_belong_to_us
craig @ Feb 13th 2007 3:58PM
Time to invest in some of those plate distorting covers. Here in FL, you can actually pay your tolls with just your plate instead of the little device that beeps at you in the cockpit. I'm not sure if it is the same system, however.
Nick @ Feb 13th 2007 4:02PM
What kind of abuse of aright to privacy is it when a machine looks at your license plate? Is it an "invasion of privacy by Big Brother" when a police officer in a patrol car sees your license plate? What kind of privacy can you expect on a PUBLIC road?
Anyway, my first thought was that this machine could automate tollbooths and avoid the daily traffic jams as cars slow to pay a cash toll. Just drive right through and pay a monthly bill.
Mark Seagondollar @ Feb 13th 2007 4:17PM
Sorry to burst your bubble, but Motorola has has this system available for cop cars since last year. They will recognize plates at a 130 MPH differential speed (e.g. both going 65 in the opposite direction) and compare to records the officer has on the laptop in his car.
http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail.jsp?globalObjectId=6177_6135_23
Me, I like the idea that an officer can have other eyes watching the road for plates that are on BOLO or Amber alert lists.
Kurt B @ Feb 13th 2007 4:23PM
This isn't new. These cameras have been on police vehicles in toronto for quite some time.
david @ Feb 13th 2007 4:33PM
obey the law and no worries.
pitranger @ Feb 13th 2007 4:36PM
As someone once said, "If you don't do anything wrong, why do you care". Well, seems we do care for the most part. I am sure this is only the start. Your onboard computer, yes, the one that they can currently use to tell your speed, brakeing, and side G force in accidents, will interface with these newer systems. Coupled with global positioning systems like "Onstar", your every move WILL be monitored, and reported. Linked to the "Kill swith" ignition system, you will be toast for every infraction. How do you like me now?
Matt @ Feb 13th 2007 4:48PM
I don't really see this as a huge problem. It's just looking at your plate, and forgetting about it if it isn't flagged. We've had this in the area, on the city traffic cars, and the state police cruisers for almost a year, and it has received no publicity. This technology isn't used for tracking people, and I don't see it being any different that having a second cop in the car, to plug license plate numbers into the computer as they pass by. Additionally, I actually feel safer knowing the cops are watching where they're going while driving, instead of trying read tag numbers on cars.
ddhayes @ Feb 13th 2007 4:53PM
Wonderful tool! Like mentioned above, it you can't do the time, don't do the crime! Pay your damn money and be valid.
Jeffrey Henderson @ Feb 13th 2007 5:02PM
"17. Wonderful tool! Like mentioned above, it you can't do the time, don't do the crime! Pay your damn money and be valid."
Pay your money and be valid? How can you be valid. It's your car, you own it. Why do you have to register it in the first place?
And on top of that, how can you need your servants permission to drive? Seems pretty silly to me, that you must pay to obtain permission to drive in a free society.
Oh, wait, we're not free. *#)(%*@$(%^@#(%*)@$(&*%
dan @ Feb 13th 2007 5:27PM
3000 plates a day? i pass more cars than that on my daily commute into the office...
i hope they mean each car with this setup can process 3000 plates a day, not the central system...
mk @ Feb 13th 2007 5:27PM
"The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either."
-Benjamin Franklin
The "If you have nothing to hide..." clause is a fallacy. The legal system is quickly rolling to the point where you are liable if you do, liable if you don't, and things like this will catch you either way.
The Constitution gets shredded a little bit more... Which is convenient for the NorAm Security Zone proponents... Not for those who value the sovereignty of the United States of America