Utility, Inc. has reportedly made an announcement saying that they have collaborated with Sony Imaging Products & Solutions Inc. for the development of Smart Patrolling. It is supposedly the first in-car camera video system powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Sources with knowledge of the matter informed that Smart Patrolling would be enhancing the existing license plate reader (LPR) technology in law enforcement vehicles by offering a cost-effective solution suitable for implementing across entire fleets instead of only a few vehicles. It is said to be an add-on to the existing Rocket IoT™ Vehicle video systems.
Smart Patrolling is the only AI-powered solution for capturing license plate via in-car video system and frees officers from having to key in license plate numbers, considerably reducing driver distraction, the sources continued. It also integrates effortlessly with the cloud-based evidence management platform from Utility, AVaiL Web™.
Senior General Manager at Sony Imaging Products & Solutions, Inc., Satoshi Kanemura, said Sony strives to develop solutions for customers that are innovative, and its collaborative partner Utility offers incredible technology for the police as well as other first responders. Utility’s technology fits well with Sony’s novel AI-based solution, which is developed from many years of experience in image recognition and processing, Kanemura added.
Ted Davis, Utility’s CEO, thinks Smart Patrolling is a game changer for law enforcement, where LPR technology has been accessible to only a few first responders for many years. Davis said that through AVaiL Web™, other partner departments would soon be able to automatically embed license plat meta-date into vehicle and body worn camera, alert drivers of hot list number plates, along with collaborating with other departments regarding investigations.
Besides Smart Patrolling, recent reports show that Utility is in the early stages of developing recognition technologies for fixed and mobile applications with Sony, to cross reference against known criminal databases by using the license plate information, among others. The companies will be exhibiting Smart Patrolling in Orlando, Florida from October 7th-9th at the 2018 International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference.
