What is ANPR?
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), also known as Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR), is software used to recognize the number plates automatically by performing sophisticated optical character recognition on images to read the license plates of vehicles.
A typical ANPR solution takes an image as input and returns the decoded vehicle plate, timestamp and confidence level of the decoding algorithm. The image is analyzed in as fast as 20 to 50 milliseconds to enable real-time surveillance.
Hyderabad in India. Source: Canva
Two Cities in India Made It to the Top 10 List of Cities with the Most Traffic
Two cities from the country have unfortunately found their way into the top 10 of the TomTom Traffic Index Ranking of 2022. Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore, has secured the second spot on the list.
Commuters in Bengaluru now face an average travel time of 29 minutes and 10 seconds per 10 kilometres, which is 40 seconds longer compared to the previous year. This persistent increase in travel time has a significant impact on the lives of citizens, who find themselves spending a staggering 260 hours stuck in rush hour traffic each year. These delays not only cause frustration but also affect businesses, as valuable time is wasted on the road.
Another city affected by the worsening traffic conditions is Pune, which has been repeatedly recognized as the most liveable city in India. Unfortunately, Pune has made it to the list at number 6 in the TomTom Traffic Index Ranking. The average travel time per 10 kilometres in Pune has risen to 27 minutes and 20 seconds, surpassing the previous year by a substantial 1 minute and 10 seconds.
Mumbai Taxi Cabs in Traffic. Source: Canva
This significant increase adds to the difficulties faced by citizens, who now spend around 249 hours stuck in rush hour traffic annually. The impact on their daily lives is significant, as they struggle to reach their destinations on time.
By investing in improved transportation infrastructure, implementing smarter traffic management systems with the use of ANPR for India, and promoting alternative modes of transportation, it’s possible to alleviate the traffic conditions that affect both citizens and businesses.
What is ANPR?
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), also known as Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR), is software used to recognize the number plates automatically by performing sophisticated optical character recognition on images to read the license plates of vehicles.
A typical ANPR solution takes an image as input and returns the decoded vehicle plate, timestamp, and confidence level of the decoding algorithm. The image is analyzed as fast as 20 to 50 milliseconds to enable real-time surveillance.
Need for ANPR in India
Unlike other countries, India, with its one billion people population, has a unique set of needs for ANPR. The main use of ANPR for India is in highway monitoring, parking management, and neighbourhood law enforcement security.
Speeding Car and Taxi on the Road. Source: Canva
Thief Attempting to Open a Car Door. Source: Canva
Security-wise, did you know that in India about 100,000 cars are stolen per year? Just like traffic, car theft has also become a major problem but this number can lessen if proper steps are taken and an ANPR system is used to track cars. Then, law enforcement can identify when, where and the route taken by a stolen vehicle. This can help bring justice swiftly to such a vast nation.
ANPR Challenges in India
The need for ANPR in India is strong but one of the major challenges of the technology is the types of number plates in India. ANPR in countries such as Australia, Vietnam and Italy, which have fairly standardized license plates, have accuracy levels often exceeding 90%.
India license plates are as diverse as the country itself–lots of styles, colours, fonts, sizes, etc. Source: Plate Recognizer Clients.
India, however, is quite different. The variations in Indian license plates make it difficult for an ANPR system to accurately identify and decode the license plate. There are 210 million vehicles with over 50 different types of number plates in India. The plates vary in colour, text and even location in the vehicle. For example, certain regions of India would have certain plate formats and certain generations of vehicles have their unique peculiarities.
Moreover, cameras deployed in India tend to be of lower quality, thereby compounding the ability of ANPR engines to accurately decode the license plate. The low-cost cameras have limited visual coverage, are equipped with less acute motion and object detection sensors, and contain limited night vision capabilities. These three factors increase the number of blind spots and the occurrence of blurry images. This situation is made worse during nighttime and inclement weather when visibility is lower.
As such, ANPR for India’s accuracy rates seldom exceed 70% from our internal analysis of our competitive ANPR providers. This is an entirely different story for our Germany ANPR and UK ANPR software.
Types of Number Plates in India
Number plates in India come in a variety of types, each serving a specific purpose and carrying its own distinctive features.
1) White number plates
White number plates are commonly seen on non-commercial vehicles, such as personal cars and motorcycles. They typically display a series of letters and numbers indicating the state code, district code, and vehicle registration number.
2) Yellow number plates
Yellow number plates are exclusively used for commercial vehicles like taxis, buses, and trucks. The yellow colour helps distinguish them from private vehicles. These plates also follow a specific format, starting with a state code, followed by digits and the registration number, with the addition of a “TA” code to denote a taxi in some cases.
3) Green number plates
Green number plates have a special significance as they are reserved for electric vehicles (EVs). These plates have a green background with white lettering and an emblem of a white lotus with green petals and a plug at the centre. Only fully electric and certain hybrid vehicles meeting specific criteria are eligible for these plates, granting them benefits and incentives provided by the government.
4) Red number plates
Red number plates in India are assigned to vehicles going through temporary registration or used for testing purposes. These plates indicate that the vehicle hasn’t received a permanent registration number yet and are typically seen during transit, demonstrations, or testing phases.
5) Blue number plates
Blue number plates are exclusive to vehicles owned by foreign diplomatic missions, such as embassies or consulates. These plates, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have white letters and numbers, often accompanied by a logo or emblem indicating the country of origin or diplomatic status.
6) Black number plates
Black number plates are specifically designated for self-driven rental cars used for commercial purposes. These plates differentiate rental vehicles from private ones and may vary in usage and regulations across different states.
5) Number plate with an upward arrow
Finally, a number plate with an upward-pointing arrow signifies vehicles belonging to the armed forces. This plate is reserved for the army, navy, air force, and other branches of the Indian armed forces. These vehicles often receive certain privileges and exemptions from regular traffic rules.
Additionally, there are red number plates in India with the emblem of the country, exclusively used for government-owned vehicles operated by central or state governments. These plates feature the national emblem, signifying their official status.
Different Types of Number Plates in India. Source: Wiki Commons
Characters in Number Plates in India
As for the characters or text on number plates in India, the components can vary depending on the location of the vehicle registration. The first two letters on the plate represent the state or union territory code, providing information about where the vehicle is registered. Following the state code, the next set of characters represents the RTO (Regional Transport Office) or district code, indicating the specific jurisdiction within the state.
After the state and district codes, the remaining six characters on the number plate consist of a combination of two alphabets and four numbers. This unique code is assigned to each vehicle during the registration process and serves as its individual identification.
The diverse range of number plate types in India reflects the various categories of vehicles and their specific purposes. While this system helps to ensure effective identification, regulation, and differentiation on the roads, it can be challenging for an ANPR engine to accurately decode the number plates.
Plate Recognizer Improvements for India ANPR
We at Plate Recognizer appreciate the importance of ANPR for India. After building our “global” ANPR solution, we focused our efforts on improving Indian number plate recognition, since we received quite a lot of interest from developers. Little did we know, though, about the all challenges mentioned above for the India license plate recognition market.
Rather than focusing camera on entire region, ANPR can be improved by focusing camera towards the red box highlighted above. Source: Plate Recognizer Client.