UK Tests AI Cameras to Detect 'Ghost' License Plates

The UK government is testing a new artificial intelligence (AI) registration plate recognition system designed to detect illegal 'ghost' number plates. These plates are engineered to be invisible to traditional automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, allowing drivers to evade speed limits, low-emission zone charges, and criminals to avoid detection.

Last year, an investigation found that as many as one in 15 cars might be fitted with these untraceable plates, with official suppliers even selling them. Britain operates one of the world's largest ANPR camera networks, capturing approximately 100 million number plates daily, a system that these ghost plates exploit.

The new AIQ cameras, developed by ANPR provider MAV Systems, are specifically designed to identify and read these ghost plates. In tests, one camera at a single site near the Dartford Crossing reportedly captured over 1,000 ghost plates per day for months. Two other test sites, operational for nearly two years near the M25 and the Eurotunnel in Folkestone, have collectively recorded more than 2,000 ghost plates daily.

Mav Systems stated that the AIQ camera, a product with software developed in Kent, uses sensors and advanced infrared technology to detect ghost plates. An "AI engine" and algorithms enable the cameras to make on-site intelligent decisions and send alerts to enforcement systems. A spokesperson claimed some cameras process over 50,000 plates daily, flagging ghost plates for review.

Ghost plates often feature 4D raised lettering, which existing road cameras struggle to read. Investigations revealed that a significant portion of the characters on these plates are made of transparent material, rendering them blank when photographed under anything other than strong daylight. This transparency extends to infrared light used by cameras at night or in low visibility, making them ineffective against ghost plates.

Britain's system for authorizing number plate suppliers is notably lax, allowing anyone to become a supplier for a small fee without background checks. A parliamentary report highlighted an "eye-watering" number of suppliers and suggested the system was "wide open to abuse." Investigations found that some authorized suppliers had links to criminal activities.

The issue was underscored by the case of Graham Slinn, 81, who was killed last year by a driver using a cloned registration plate. The driver, who was unlicensed, uninsured, and under the influence of nitrous oxide, was later identified through CCTV footage. His daughter described cloned plates as a "gateway drug" that can escalate to serious offenses, emphasizing that it is not a victimless crime.

The DVLA has stated it is working to "clean up the register, strengthening compliance and enforcement" and collaborates with police and Trading Standards to address non-compliant suppliers. Since 2020, however, only two number plate suppliers have faced prosecution and removal from the database, with a small team at the DVLA responsible for auditing thousands of entries.