ANPR System: Automatic Number Plate Recognition
An ANPR system reads the number plate of an approaching vehicle at the gate, checks it against a registered list and opens the barrier, logging the read with a timestamp. ALGI's number plate recognition runs on your existing gate cameras. The same read also feeds car park occupancy, time on site and gate passage records. The question it answers is not "who came" but "which vehicle entered when, and when did it leave"; the record is vehicle-based and open to audit.
What is an ANPR system?
An ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) system reads the characters on a vehicle's number plate from camera images and converts them into text. The plate that has been read is compared with defined lists: registered staff vehicles, scheduled suppliers, a blacklist or visitors.
The result of the comparison is tied to an action. The barrier can open, a notification can go to the security desk, or the passage can simply be logged. By matching entry and exit, the same read becomes time on site; in a car park it feeds the occupancy count. Visitor records, shipment records and occupancy all come from one read, with no second data entry at the gate.
The system looks at the vehicle, not the driver. A number plate is a vehicle record; the driver's face is not processed and the driver is not identified. Plates in formats other than the Turkish one can also be read, and for mixed traffic such as border crossings and ports the format set is extended.
This page covers the whole installation at the gate: camera position, IR lighting for night reads, processing, the barrier connection and integration with your existing systems. The software layer on its own, with lists, rules, reports, API and licensing, is described on the ANPR software page.
How does ANPR number plate recognition work?
Setup follows three steps.
The camera is positioned. The camera should see the plate as head-on as possible at the point where the vehicle stops or slows down. Night reading requires IR lighting. If your existing gate camera already has this view, it is not replaced.
Lists and rules are defined. Plate lists are created in the dashboard, and for each list you choose what happens: open the barrier, send a notification or only log the passage. Rules can be tied to time and gate, for example allowing only registered vehicles to enter outside working hours.
Reads are connected to your systems. Video is processed either on an Algi Edge device installed on site or on ALGI AI servers. The result reaches barrier control through a dry-contact connection, and the record is passed to your existing security or ERP system through the API. Visitor records, shipment records and car park occupancy are all fed from the same read.
Every passage is stored with a timestamp and the plate image, and reported by gate, time and list. Because entry and exit reads are matched, time on site is available for each vehicle without manual logging.
Which industries use it?
Frequently asked questions
- What is an ANPR system and how does it work?
- An ANPR system reads the number plate in a camera image, converts it into text and compares it with defined lists. Depending on the result, the barrier opens, a notification is sent or the passage is only logged. Every passage is stored with a timestamp and the plate image, and entry and exit are matched to calculate time on site.
- Does an ANPR system need extra hardware?
- In most installations, not necessarily. Your existing gate camera can be used if it sees the plate head-on. Night reading requires IR lighting; if your camera does not provide it, lighting is added. Video can be processed on ALGI AI servers, or on an Algi Edge device on site if you want processing to stay on your premises. The barrier is connected through a dry contact.
- Are my existing IP cameras compatible?
- IP cameras that provide an RTSP stream are compatible. What matters is the angle and how large the plate appears in the frame: the camera should see the plate head-on rather than from the side, and the vehicle should slow down at the reading point. If you share photos of your gates and your camera models, we assess suitability before installation.
- How long does setup take, and when does it go live?
- At a single gate, setup is completed on the same day: the camera stream is defined, the reading zone is drawn, lists are loaded and the on-site device is connected where one is used. The barrier connection is made together with your electrical team. On sites with several gates, the first gate serves as the reference and the rest are opened with the same configuration.
- Is an ANPR system GDPR and KVKK compliant?
- A number plate is a vehicle record; the system does not recognize or identify the driver and processes no facial data. With an on-site Algi Edge device, live video stays on your premises and only the plate text and read frame leave the site; with server processing, video is processed on ALGI AI servers. As a plate can be personal data where it links to a person, retention and access are limited in the dashboard.
Related rules from the library
ALL →Related solutions
SOLUTIONS →DON'T SEE YOUR NEED?
Dijital Atölye listens to the problem in the field, prototypes, validates and productizes. Some of the products running in the field today were born on this line.
Bring the problem, let's talk prototype →