Hazardous load warning and identification ANPR system

A new ANPR system has been designed to read hazard warning and number plates simultaneously.

In the event of an accident, the system will help emergency services understand what problems they are likely to encounter. This will assist them in bringing a dangerous situation under control faster and more efficiently.

It will also allow tunnel operators to know exactly when a hazardous load has entered and left a tunnel.

The presence of vehicles transporting dangerous material can transform simple traffic incidents into catastrophic events, often with a high human and material cost out of proportion with the initial incident.

To date, the control of lorries transporting dangerous goods has been based entirely on visual checks, which, in general, are neither systematic nor efficient.

The cameras from Advanced Camera Solutions can be placed at both ends of a tunnel and the hazard load data is then locked to the number plate data ensuring full traceability of the load in and out of the tunnel.

The monitoring cameras provide infrared video streams optimised for the remote plate stream server. This data is then transmitted over a standard IP network to the control centre in MPEG4 format. An overview camera can also be added.

The camera system is encased in a high-quality stainless-steel housing with IP67 protection against water and dust. Local adjustment is available at the camera end to speed up installation and servicing.

Powerful algorithms ensure the plate and hazard data are correctly processed and minimise problems of low plate contrast.