Telstra's Safe-T-Cam image processing automatic vehicle identification (AVI) system is used in New South Wales (NSW), and the road transport industry has already strongly indicated its wish to use it throughout Australia. It is designed for roadside detection and classification of heavy vehicles. It first acquires a high-resolution digital image, then locates and deciphers the number plate from within the image, and sends the data to a central site for storage and analysis when requested. It operates 24 hours a day in all weather conditions. Its optical character recognition (OCR) successfully locates the number plate in 90% of cases, and deciphers it when located in over 96% of cases. It monitors the number of incidents per vehicle owner, and maintains information for excessive speed, travel time and sighting avoidance incidents only. The system's benefits include: (1) reduction of excessive speeds and driver fatigue; (2) rewards to responsible operators; (3) no active tagging imposed or required; (4) removal of many unroadworthy and uninsured vehicles from the roads of NSW; (5) a contribution to reducing heavy vehicle accidents; and (6) protection of the Road Traffic Authority's revenue. Operators have refused to take on contracts involving illegal behaviour, and otherwise improved their conduct.
Samenvatting