Raytec Illuminators Provide LPR for Colombian Police Cars

  • Feb 03, 2015

Raytec illuminators have been put to an exciting use by the police force of Bogota, Colombia. With a growing need for accurate, reliable and mobile licence plate capture to combat speeding in areas with no fixed monitoring, Bogota police cars were outfitted with licence plate cameras from IndigoVision, and VARIO Infra-Red illuminators from Raytec.

A mobile and highly flexible solution was essential. But achieving proper illumination was also a hurdle, as high quality lighting is mandatory to allow licence plate cameras to perform at their maximum proficiency 24 hours a day. The hardware, designed to mount on the top of patrol cars, was designed by Bogota based integrator EGC who made the decision to use Raytec illuminators. After testing was carried out to compare different manufacturers, the build quality and overall performance superiority of the Raytec illuminators established the Raytec VARIO i4 as the illuminator of choice.

“Night time testing was crucial for the customer,” Jefferson Valencia, EGC, explained. “The performance of the VARIO i4 was excellent and it delivered clear illumination to allow us to effectively capture licence plates in darkness. After trialing models from other manufacturers, we quickly assessed that Raytec was the only choice.”

The design allowed for the lights and LPR cameras to be integrated on top of the vehicle, allowing the cameras to get a perfect, illuminated shot of any plate. Raytec’s VARIO i4 units are equipped with holographic lensing with hot-spot reduction technology (HRT) providing a highly targeted and even light distribution for superior image quality and greater distances.

All VARIO illuminators can also be powered from any 12-24V battery, making them perfect for this mobile application. In addition, VARIO’s interchangeable lens system provided the flexibility needed to adjust the output angle of illumination whenever required to suit any scene; by simply slotting a different lens into the unit. Not possible with traditional fixed angle illuminators.

Having developed many bespoke CCTV solutions for the Colombian government, EGC recognized that the police force were facing the challenge of needing high quality and reliable mobile LPR illumination almost daily and have delivered a solution that the end user is delighted with. While the project started in the city of Bogota, the implementation of this Raytec lighting and LPR integration has been planned across Colombia.

Featured

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

  • Security Today Announces 2025 CyberSecured Award Winners

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 CyberSecured Awards winners. Sixteen companies are being recognized this year for their network products and other cybersecurity initiatives that secure our world today. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.