High-Accuracy ALPR Systems Offer Better Returns on Investment
By Matthew Willenbrink
Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology is not all the same. Even minor improvements in system accuracy, coupled with robust features, can lead to significant enhancements in a parking operator’s financial performance. In the dynamic world of parking management, the precision of ALPR systems plays a critical role. Minor inaccuracies can result in substantial operational inefficiencies. Although any ALPR system may address some challenges, each misread or unread plate directly affects revenue generation, productivity, enforcement efficiency, and overall customer satisfaction.
Slightly enhancing ALPR accuracy by just a few percentage points can lead to significant revenue increases, potentially adding hundreds or thousands of dollars per day through improved compliance and more effective enforcement.
Various factors contribute to the return on investment (ROI) of an ALPR system, including the system’s accuracy, detection capabilities, adaptability, and integration options. These elements are crucial for realizing substantial ROI benefits immediately and in the long term.
Higher Accuracy Leads to Significant Advantages
When it comes to ROI, even small increases in accuracy can have profound effects. Most municipalities capture only 2% to 5% of parking violations. Slightly enhancing ALPR accuracy by just a few percentage points can lead to significant revenue increases, potentially adding hundreds or thousands of dollars per day through improved compliance and more effective enforcement.
High-accuracy ALPR systems enable enforcement officers to cover more area per shift, capture more violations efficiently, and minimize errors and false positives. Advanced features such as electronic chalking enable officers to take vehicle photos and timestamps that automatically alert them to violations and help populate ticket information, streamlining the enforcement process significantly.
Moreover, high-accuracy ALPR systems are instrumental in collecting not only payments and permit data but also crucial occupancy data. With more precise monitoring of parking inventory, municipalities, private operators, and campuses can benefit from more accurate and granular occupancy data. Along with providing tangible benefits to drivers by displaying occupancy counts to help direct traffic and reduce congestion, this capability aids users in evaluating and modifying policies as parking needs evolve. Accurate occupancy data ensures that administrators don’t miss the complete picture of how spaces are used, which is essential for effective parking management and planning.
Furthermore, systems with higher accuracy are crucial in managing unpaid parking scenarios. These systems enhance team situational awareness and automate the detection and notification of specific situations such as illegally parked, banned, or abandoned vehicles.
ALPR Enhancements for Operational Efficiency
Vehicle-mounted ALPR cameras enable staff to scan thousands of license plates per shift, manage permits and other regulations more efficiently, and cover more territory rapidly. For locations 
with limited personnel, fixed ALPR cameras automate violation detection, increase reliability, and reduce the need for constant patrolling. By treating the license plate as a virtual permit, ALPR drastically reduces the need for issuing and managing physical permits, thereby simplifying administrative duties and enhancing operational efficiency.
Efficiency is further boosted by moving the issuance of citations to back-office operations, enabling frontline staff to concentrate more on patrolling. Batch processing and electronically distributing violations also enables officers to focus more on their fieldwork, optimizing operational effectiveness.
Additionally, ALPR technology is increasingly being used to manage curb space effectively. Urban areas and campuses are facing more congestion due to growing populations, an increase in vehicles, and a higher demand for deliveries. This growth has led to the creation of more dedicated curbside zones, bike lanes, and bus lanes.
Managing these limited resources effectively is becoming crucial. ALPR systems can enforce regulations in these high-demand areas by ensuring that vehicles comply with the designated use of the space, whether it’s a short-term parking zone for deliveries or a no-parking bus lane. This capability is essential for maintaining smooth traffic flow and helping urban infrastructure adapt to changing transportation needs.
Data-driven Insights and Unification for Enhanced Parking Management
The data collected from ALPR systems is invaluable for comprehending facility usage, identifying peak periods, and enhancing the overall parking experience. This data drives actionable insights that lead to operational improvements and more effective resource management.
Likewise, integrating parking technologies with security systems, access control, and Internet-of-Things-enabled devices offers numerous benefits. For universities, municipalities, and businesses, such integration means improved situational awareness, significant time savings, and enhanced operational efficiencies. A unified platform facilitates the streamlined management of parking, building controls, and security monitoring.
In addition to improving operations through ALPR, collaboration between private and public parking enforcement significantly enhances community safety. ALPR systems play a crucial role by alerting law enforcement about stolen vehicles, wanted individuals, or vehicles involved in emergencies. This capability is particularly critical in large venues such as airports, where timely identification of vehicles parked beyond a specified duration is essential for security and operational management.
Beyond ‘Good Enough’
Municipalities and private entities face challenges such as staffing shortages, infrastructure demands, inflation, and growing populations. Enhancing parking operations presents a significant opportunity for ROI. However, it’s essential to thoroughly assess the capabilities, accuracy, and long-term benefits of an ALPR system before committing resources. A system that doesn’t meet long-term needs can lead to increased downtime, lost revenue, and higher maintenance costs.
Investing in an ALPR system involves more than just considering accuracy. It requires a comprehensive evaluation of overall efficiency, flexibility, and unification capabilities. These factors collectively determine the cost-effectiveness and functional suitability of an ALPR solution.
Ultimately, the success of an ALPR system in boosting parking management efficiency hinges on a holistic approach that encompasses not only technological accuracy but also the integration of multiple operational facets. Combining high accuracy, unification, and the ability to implement new use cases significantly increases opportunities for a higher ROI.
Matthew Willenbrink is an account executive for parking at Genetec, Inc. He can be reached at mwillenbrink@genetec.com.
