20% of ANPR readings incorrect in trial...
Discussion
Although I have no time whatsoever for Mr Brake and his works, this is kind of worrying, esp as ANPR looks to be the mechanism of choice to make sure we all get nice and wound-up doing 70mph on our m'ways...
[url]www.libdems.org.uk/news/police-spy-camera-scheme-needs-improvement-brake.html[/url]
[url]www.libdems.org.uk/news/police-spy-camera-scheme-needs-improvement-brake.html[/url]
It's a computer ..... yes it does sometimes get it wrong - which is why we always merely look at the screen to make sure it has read correctly. It's not difficult to do and not a problem.
I check every number before stopping anyone - you need to make sure it has read correctly and then need to know what the car is known for. I don't want to go stopping someone straight away who may have a gun ! The press release by the Liberals is just going to worry people needlessly..... but then again it does refer to them as 'spy cameras' ! Rather these 'spy cameras' than speed type ones ......
I check every number before stopping anyone - you need to make sure it has read correctly and then need to know what the car is known for. I don't want to go stopping someone straight away who may have a gun ! The press release by the Liberals is just going to worry people needlessly..... but then again it does refer to them as 'spy cameras' ! Rather these 'spy cameras' than speed type ones ......
Actually the technology is rather good - the ability to "read" plates of all types and sizes (including Alfa 156's - contrary to the urban myth). The issue is that the process and database behind it is at fault. Take buying a new car - you buy it, you register it (well the dealer does), you tax it too.... but maybe its at a post office - perfectly legal and fair, but the record of your car doesnt appear until a week or so after you are on the road. It gets worse when you have transfered a private plate too.... all perfectly legal and reasonable, but ANPR would flag your car as "caution" or red and hence you get a tug....
Or what will most likely happen, is that the operator presses the ESC button to move on to the next car its just read. 20% incorrect is a pretty big underestimation too. How many V5's have you had which are incorrect in some part of the data? How many V5's does the DVLA loose and what percentage of the data is just plain wrong? Internal estimates at the DVLA place this at 40% or even more!!!!!
ANPR is great at picking up untaxed / no MOT / scrapped cars - its also great at keeping track of "watchlist" motors too. But for the wholescale introduction of ANPR - its a waste of time. Unfortunately many groups see this is as the panecea of all evils on the road. It aint that simple and fundamentally we need to change our taxation (RFL) and licensing structure to cope with what they are proposing..... which wont happen for at least a couple of years.
Its good, but it aint that good.
Or what will most likely happen, is that the operator presses the ESC button to move on to the next car its just read. 20% incorrect is a pretty big underestimation too. How many V5's have you had which are incorrect in some part of the data? How many V5's does the DVLA loose and what percentage of the data is just plain wrong? Internal estimates at the DVLA place this at 40% or even more!!!!!
ANPR is great at picking up untaxed / no MOT / scrapped cars - its also great at keeping track of "watchlist" motors too. But for the wholescale introduction of ANPR - its a waste of time. Unfortunately many groups see this is as the panecea of all evils on the road. It aint that simple and fundamentally we need to change our taxation (RFL) and licensing structure to cope with what they are proposing..... which wont happen for at least a couple of years.
Its good, but it aint that good.
john57 said:
It's a computer ..... yes it does sometimes get it wrong - which is why we always merely look at the screen to make sure it has read correctly. It's not difficult to do and not a problem.
Which is fine when someone is checking it. But I'd argue that the information in this article suggests having a human reading the 50 million plates a day is a little unrealistic....
john57 said:
Rather these 'spy cameras' than speed type ones ......
If only that were true!
It seems that the ideas to use SPECS type technology to add that to the ANPR output.....
<stolen from another thread...apologies>
[url]www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/15/vehicle_movement_database/[/url]
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