AI SPY CAMERAS TAKE AIM AT BRITAIN’S ‘GHOST PLATE’ DRIVERS – As many as 2 million drivers could be using doctored or fake number plates
Police are stepping up their fight against motorists who are dodging the rules with so-called “ghost plates.”
Across the UK, it’s estimated that as many as two million drivers could be using doctored or fake number plates to escape detection from Ulez charges, speed cameras, and low-emission zones. That’s about one in 15 motorists — a startling figure that highlights just how widespread the problem has become.
But now, technology is catching up. West Midlands Police, one of Britain’s largest forces, is trialling a new AI-powered camera that can identify these ghost plates more effectively than traditional systems. And in just the first two weeks of deployment, the results have been staggering: more than 4,300 separate instances of ghost plates were flagged, involving nearly 3,000 individual vehicles that would likely have gone unnoticed by standard ANPR cameras.
Officials say this breakthrough will not only help catch motorists avoiding fines but will also prove vital in tackling organised crime. Criminals often rely on fake or altered plates to avoid being tracked while carrying out illegal activities.
The technology comes as authorities face growing challenges. Fake plates can be bought online or in person for as little as £10, with some 40,000 largely unregulated sellers across the UK. Add to that the easy availability of stealth tape and other gadgets that make plates invisible to infrared cameras, and it’s no surprise this cat-and-mouse game has spiralled.
Police say this new AI tool could mark a turning point, paving the way for wider national rollout. It raises questions, though, about where the line should be drawn between public safety and the creeping surveillance culture on Britain’s roads.
