In the not too distant past, the popularity and accessibility of the license plate readers (LPR) technology wasn't what it is today. And that wasn't because no one understood the need for a technological advancement that would limit crime rate, reduce potential vulnerabilities on our roads, and encourage more cautious road usage, but because of the absence of readily available tools and resources.
For so many years, the issue of tracking and identifying vehicles - especially in the events of hit-and-run and other road-related occurrences - were left strictly in the hands of the police departments. And as one might have expected, police departments were executing this responsibility by tracking people's cars with cameras that capture the license plate of every vehicle that passes by - in a somewhat mass surveillance manner.
It was in this light that LPRs started gaining traction. Seen as a weapon that answers all the questions concerning license plate number records, LPRs help both the law enforcement agencies, as well as regular civilians, to stay on top of the securities matters in their vicinities.
The popularity of LPRs
License plate recognition (LPR) technology is becoming popular because it significantly reduces the time to arrest criminals. There is an increased need for advanced security measures on the roads, in schools, parking lots, tunnels, private businesses, etc. The addition of artificial intelligence to an existing surveillance system augments the capabilities of police to fight crime and victims to receive justice.
How did LPRs become so popular?
Since LPRs allow every Tom, Dick, and Harry to access the license plate records of any car they wish to, it was only a matter of time before it became a center of attraction for everyone. Thanks in large parts to the various tech firms that have made it possible for private citizens to use devices such as automatic license plate readers, or ALPRs - without the strict oversight that governs this type of data collection by law enforcement.
The growth of LPR usage
According to a recent report published by the company OpenAPLR - a company that offers free LPR software that allows any web-connected camera to read license plates - it was revealed that in just two years, the utilization of these cameras went from a meager 300 cameras in just a few regions to 9,200 cameras around the world - a figure that represents almost 3,000% increment.
But what's even more intriguing about this rise is that about half of these users are regular civilians and private citizens, while the other half are police officers.
For all its security and safety benefits, LPRs do carry some ethical and potential privacy breach threats. A fact that is considered to be a vulnerability for vehicle drivers. So while it does appear to be a major crime-fighting tool, are the potential vulnerabilities carried worth it? Although we'll leave you to decide on that, before we do, we'll educate you on some of the benefits, as well as the perceived vulnerabilities created by the introduction of LPRs and options for drivers to be protected.
The crime-fighting benefits
A sense of safety
Although LPRs create a sense of vulnerability on the parts of drivers - since their privacy can be breached at any time - it does create a sense of safety on the parts of passersby, private civilians, and other regular road users. Since it is now possible to lookup the license plate number of virtually every car out there, there is a growing sense of relief with road usage amongst the general public.
Crime rate deterrent
Rather than looking to catch criminals after a crime has already been committed, wouldn't you prefer to prevent those crimes from occurring in the first place? When cameras are present in high-risk areas, it becomes less likely for people to venture into criminal activities, as they know it will be very much harder for them to get away with it. Additionally, since every vehicle driver now knows that their info and data are not really private anymore, they tend to drive with more caution, bearing in mind that if they drive recklessly, anyone could use the LPR or any other IoT tool to track, locate and file a lawsuit against them.
Avoiding Dangerous Situations
There is nothing more intimidating for a security agent than a criminal or suspect that he knows little about. However, with the introduction of LPRs, it has become relatively easier for security agents, individuals, and law enforcement agents to become more aware of a situation before approaching it. With a license plate reader or cameras for most drivers, it is very much possible to know the identity of a suspect, as well as their road usage history, so that you can have a clearer insight into the kind of situation to expect when you approach them.
Collecting Data
There is a cumulative effect on using an LPR system, which can be highly beneficial over time for large businesses and law enforcement agencies. As the cameras are used, and the database grows, there will be more and more information collected about the community as a whole. Officers on patrol will have a better chance of gathering information on a potential suspect because of all of the information that has been gathered by the LPR over the years.
The potential vulnerabilities
Ethical issues
Unlike law enforcement agencies, private citizens and random users of these tools are not beholden by constitutional protections barring unlawful search, seizure, racial profiling, or any other unlawful abuse of the tool. What is that supposed to mean? Some may quip. Well, it simply means that private bodies and regular citizens alike can use the tool as they see fit without necessarily worrying about departmental review boards or internal affairs units watching over them. Unfortunately, this creates a major vulnerability on the parts of car owners, as their personal details can readily be accessed and used against them even when they've not really done anything wrong.
Privacy breach
We all love our privacy, yes. Unfortunately, that can't always be guaranteed with LPRs around. Once a private citizen, for example, taps into your plate number profile, they access all your info, including your contact details, name, address, and lots more. While this may not seem like a big deal at first, it does create the problem of potential security and privacy breach. At any given time, anyone could just look up your info and use it against you or sell it to anyone interested.
Potential for scam and breach
Unlike law enforcement agencies, which are generally subject to public information laws, there is no way for citizens to know exactly how private companies or individuals with access to these tools are using the LPR data they collect. Although many companies still claim that they do not share their customers' data with any outside entities, it is still possible for these companies' websites to be hacked or tampered with by unscrupulous individuals, accessing customers' info in the process.
