The Police today said a new version of the Automatic Number Plate Recognition system has enhanced traffic enforcement efficiency.

The new system has been equipped on eight Audi A6 police cars. It automatically scans the number plates of passing cars and compares it with a database to identify illegal vehicles.

The system, introduced in March 22, has been used to identify three types of traffic contraventions involving unlicensed vehicles, vehicles licensed to disqualified drivers, and vehicles licensed to people wanted for an outstanding traffic warrant. The new system allows officers to locate stolen vehicles.

As of April 10, more than 100,000 plates have been scanned and 215 tickets have been issued. Fifteen drivers were also arrested.

In 2018, the old system scanned 33,000 number plates and 10 fixed penalty tickets were issued. Two drivers were arrested.

Police Traffic Branch Headquarters (Law Revision & Projects) Acting Chief Inspector Kerry Ku said the old system used a fixed location deployment, which required additional officers to intercept vehicles at nearby locations.

“For the new system, it is installed in the vehicle which the officers, when they are driving on patrol, the system can automatically detect the vehicles nearby in front of them or behind them. So, it will greatly enhance the efficiency of the detection.”

No information collected by the new system will be stored or used for intelligence analysis or to record people’s activities, he added.

Police plan to equip 17 more of its cars with the new system by 2020, with the added ability to detect wanted-person vehicles.