Discussion: License plate reading dash cams will not work because of headlight glare.

[country_hick]

I found a camera (not a dash camera) that is designed to read license plates from above.

License Number Plate Recognition LPR Camera Outdoor For Highway Parking Lot (not in car use)

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805260483675.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000060.3.635b76e1ADsIDn&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.291025.0&scm_id=1007.13339.291025.0&scm-url=1007.13339.291025.0&pvid=306dd024-c4ef-445f-9ea6-1dd5a6386d61&_t=gps-id%3ApcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller%2Cscm-url%3A1007.13339.291025.0%2Cpvid%3A306dd024-c4ef-445f-9ea6-1dd5a6386d61%2Ctpp_buckets%3A668%232846%238112%231997&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21USD%21270.18%21132.39%21%21%21%21%21%402101c80016845841201295618eb667%2112000033116303629%21rec%21US%211834727820&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

Headlight glare requires this camera to be mounted at a 30 degree angle above oncoming traffic. Barring major advances in technology a dashcam directly in front of oncoming headlights will not capture license plates. If you want to capture license plates you could put a long pole on top of your car to use as a dashcam mount and maybe hit the underside of a bridge one day.

 

[Kremmen]

That's my experience, if not daylight my headlights just produce a bright white rectangle with no readable numbers on our white highly reflective plastic plates.

The countries with painted black on white metal plates seem less prone to dazzle.

 

[kamkar]

Yeah the reflective plates, like we have here in EU-ville, they will screw up real fast at night with either regular headlights or IR lights of a plate reading camera ( fixed or mobile )
I assume this is why cop cars here with ANPG cameras have those mounted forward and backward at a 45 degree angle.

 

[Dashmellow]

I found a camera (not a dash camera) that is designed to read license plates from above.

License Number Plate Recognition LPR Camera Outdoor For Highway Parking Lot (not in car use)

While there are dedicated license plate reading surveillance cameras available they tend to be extremely costly. The one you found on AliExpress for $132.39 is highly unlikely to perform as claimed. It appears to be nothing more than a fairly typical surveillance camera with a choice of standard commercial 5MP zoom lens on it; the very same type of low cost varifocal lens I've used on Mobius cameras. The claims for this camera seem to be nothing but a lot of hype. In fact, the only other products sold by this outfit are some sort of "robot rehabilitation gloves"; also questionable.

Barring major advances in technology a dashcam directly in front of oncoming headlights will not capture license plates.

Speaking of major advances in technology maybe you haven't been paying attention but the new Sony Starvis 2 sensor seems to have come a long way towards addressing this problem in many instances.

 

[Dashmellow]

The claims made for this camera seem absurd. Crystal clear plate capture at 180 km/hr? On an apparently cloudy day no less?

No explanation is offered about the technology employed to accomplish such a feat, especially for the price.

Way too many questions are raised here with zero answers provided.

 

[kamkar]

Working sweet HDR, that will indeed be a good thing for the dashcam people, one could argue probably the biggest lift in image quality in a decade.

 

[Kremmen]

The image above showing the UK rear 'yellow' reflective plates is very similar to what I can achieve with my V3.

When vehicles overtake me I can read the rear number plate fairly easily, probably because there is no closing speed.

It's the front 'white' number plate with a closing speed that causes the problem for me.

 

[lacibaci]

Why does anyone need to read license plates? When you're in an accident you don't have to track down the perp. That's what the insurance company is for. In 99% of accidents it's clear who caused it even without a dashcam.

 

[Dashmellow]

Why does anyone need to read license plates? When you're in an accident you don't have to track down the perp. That's what the insurance company is for. In 99% of accidents it's clear who caused it even without a dashcam.

Not every incident is a traditional fender bender or crash. You could have a side swipe or a hit and run for example. As another example, I had someone who was harassing and threatening me with their vehicle and I needed to document who it was.

 

[kamkar]

I do test on plates, as they are relevant in this game, but otherwise it is not something that keep me awake at night.
Though a 21 YO kid performing here yesterday, well lets just say the car he borrowed and performed in, it is now confiscated, and the kid i assume will see consequences too for doing 150 in a town ( 50 km zone )
Who ever he borrowed the car from, probably also pretty pissed, CUZ his / her car are now gone and will be sold on auction to bolster the depleted Danish state funds.

Punk could easy have torn off a few mirrors during his metal meltdown.

 

[Dadi_T]

Why does anyone need to read license plates? When you're in an accident you don't have to track down the perp. That's what the insurance company is for. In 99% of accidents it's clear who caused it even without a dashcam.

Yes, buy a Garmin instead off reading license plates.
Or... erase the forum. What is the point of a dashcam?! The insurance company it's working for you!

 

[DT MI]

Why does anyone need to read license plates? When you're in an accident you don't have to track down the perp. That's what the insurance company is for.

It's my understanding (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that in some countries they have 'unusual' (<---not my first choice of words) laws/regulations/policies that require the victims to identify the perpetrator otherwise they incur the cost of the repair themselves.

 

[wiz043]

It's my understanding (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that in some countries they have 'unusual' (<---not my first choice of words) laws/regulations/policies that require the victims to identify the perpetrator otherwise they incur the cost of the repair themselves.

Certainly in Australia you need to prove that the accident was not your fault through a police report or dashcam footage to avoid losing you excess payment which could be between $500 to $2,000 for the claim.
Your insurance company can then claim through the offender's insurance (if he/she has any).
You can still claim if it was your fault unless you were drunk but you will lose your excess payment and possibly your no claim bonus of possibly 20% to 60% in some cases.

 

[TonyM]

Why does anyone need to read license plates? When you're in an accident you don't have to track down the perp. That's what the insurance company is for. In 99% of accidents it's clear who caused it even without a dashcam.

There are accidents where the other driver does not stop at the scene. If you can't identify the car that hits you, the insurance company can't do much for you in terms of tracking them down. They will still cover the repair costs, but you might be out of pocket for your excess and NCD depending on the terms of your policy.