Thales\' vehicle identification system set to protect Paris\' airport car parks
The Paris airports authority Aéroports de Paris calls upon Thales to provide an effective vehicle identification system to counter fraud and enhance security within its car parks.
Carmetrics, Thales\' vehicle identification solution, has been selected by Aéroports de Paris after a four-month on-site pilot phase to assess three competing solutions. The first phase of the programme itself involves the installation of around 45 imaging terminals at three car parks within Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Installation will begin in September 2005 and will be completed by March 2006. The airport\'s other car parks will be equipped with a total of 155 imaging terminals in subsequent phases of the programme.
Each time a vehicle passes through access control at the car park entrance, Carmetrics captures and records its registration plate and physical shape. It also records the payment method used (ticket issued or bank/credit card inserted). At the car park exit, the system checks whether the information matches the data recorded at the entrance. In the event of a mismatch, the barrier remains closed and the system generates an alert message to indicate that operator action is needed. For each vehicle, all events are recorded and archived in the central database, which can be searched at any time.
The Carmetrics system combines registration plate imaging with vehicle shape recognition and incorporates the latest advances in image acquisition and analysis technologies. The system operates twenty-four hours a day, processes both stationary and moving vehicles and is highly tolerant of oblique horizontal and vertical viewing angles. With its combination of registration plate imaging and shape recognition, Carmetrics offers a substantially higher detection rate than other systems of this type.
"Car park management is an important part of our efforts to enhance security and prevent theft and fraud," said Vincent Duguay, car park and access manager at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle. "Thales is delivering a complete, scalable solution that will help us to optimise security for our customers and manage attempted violations."
"Our continuing partnership with Aéroports de Paris is an excellent opportunity to implement this innovative system designed specifically for long-stay car park management," said Anne Murgier, Sales director for Thales\' security systems activities. "The Thales solution is the first of its type to enter operational service anywhere in the world."
About Thales
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group serving defence, aerospace, security and services markets worldwide. The Group employs 60,000 people throughout the world and generated revenues of 10.3 billion euros in 2004.
Thales\' security systems activity designs, delivers and integrates high-technology solutions to protect critical infrastructures for local authorities, corporate and government customers worldwide. These solutions cover all aspects of security, including site and event security, security operation and crisis management centres, secure identification solutions, information system security and environmental security. Its comprehensive services offering ranges from security consulting, architecture definition and complex systems integration to complete turnkey solutions including the design, installation, operation and maintenance of security systems.
