Cargo port of Toulon installs license plate detection cameras on its premises

The parking facility at Toulon’s cargo port joins the smart parking revolution with the addition of 14 license plate recognition units from Quercus Technologies. The units identify the license plates of the trucks entering and leaving distinct areas of this French port.

This parking project, integrated with the support of our colleagues at AXIOME CONCEPT, is part of a European grant program for the modernization of port infrastructure, financed and directed by the European Union. 

The French city of Toulon boasts the most prominent French Mediterranean naval base, in addition to being the home port of the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle. What’s more, the cruise ship terminal has made Toulon a high-profile port, thanks to which the city forms a key business area and strategic point to travel to other destinations.

The aim of adding LPR units in their parking facility is to geoposition the tractors and trailers present in the cargo port of Toulon. This will enable operators to charge vehicles for parking in certain areas of the facility, and identify trailers transporting hazardous materials. License plate recognition makes it possible to ensure that the trailer is correctly parked in its reserved area. 

Tractor and trailer have different license plates, making it necessary to link the two elements and identify the exact time at which they enter the parking facility. ANPR cameras recognize tractors’ front license plates and trailers’ rear plates, facilitating problem-free identification of both license numbers. Once within the parking area, the software discretely logs each vehicle’s stay time. Next, it issues the necessary bill for the time that vehicle has been parked. 

Benefits of access systems 

- Dynamic pricing is a feature that a growing number of companies wish to apply to their parking systems. Numerous parking operators have chosen to integrate dynamic pricing in accordance with their targets, bringing about optimal solutions that are attuned to users’ needs. 

- Automating entrances and exits through these systems also empowers operators to implement ticketless solutions, as the license plate recognition system calculates the time at which the vehicle has entered the facility, and uses the data to  calculate the cost of a parking stay. Once paid, recognition units read the license plate and let the vehicle out, without any further interaction.

- License plate recognition cameras add a layer of security at parking facility entrances and exits. They help prevent fraud and ticket swapping. What’s more, all license plates are logged in the database, which aids in investigating any vehicle theft that may take place inside the facility. 

- License plate recognition units also enable operators to attribute levels of priority to certain customers, assigning them specific spaces and prices, and expediting their entry into and exit from the facility.