HTSs License Plate Recognition Systems Selected for Municipal Parking Lots in Tel Aviv, Israel

HTSs License Plate Recognition Systems Selected for Municipal Parking Lots in Tel Aviv, Israel

Rishon LeZion, Israel December 1, 2008 Hi-Tech Solutions Ltd. (HTS), a developer and provider of optical character recognition (OCR) computer vision systems, today announced that its License Plate Recognition (LPR) system SeeCar has been selected as the automatic solution for vehicle access control in more than 20 municipal parking lots located in Tel Aviv, Israel. The parking lots are managed by the Ahuzot Hahof municipal company, which operates the Tel Aviv Municipality's 110 parking lots. HTSs LPR system is integrated in Fast Park, a comprehensive automatic parking management system, developed by AFCON Control & Automation and T.I.B.A., an AFCON subsidiary. So far, the system has been successfully implemented at six municipal parking lots.

HTSs LPR system automatically reads and identifies the license plate of each car entering the parking lot. The information is checked against a database of cars owned by Tel Aviv residents holding a resident's card, who are eligible for discounted parking in municipal parking lots. Cars owned by holders of resident's cards are also eligible for overnight free parking according to their residential zones (Tel Aviv is divided into eight parking zones).

Via the interface to the municipal database, and the LPR input, the system knows when to permit the resident to park for free and when to calculate a discount, or identifies a non-resident and demands full payment. As a vehicle enters the parking facility, its license plate number is included on the parking ticket issued at the entrance to the parking facility. The parking fee is paid via a pay on foot (POF) machine according to the length of stay, and special discounts if applicable, according the license plate number associated with the ticket.

The LPR systems enable automatic access control at the parking lots, saving resources and preventing mistakes in calculating the parking fees through manual means, said Roni Ikar, CEO of Ahuzot Hahof. In addition, it prevents bottlenecks at the entrance and exit points, thereby enhancing improved service to drivers.

The Ahuzot Hahof project is another milestone in our LPR business around the world, including many implementations of LPR systems in parking lots and garages, as well as at other facilities, compounds and highways, said Meta Rotenberg, HTSs VP Business Development. This project is a testament to the superior reliability of our systems.

We selected HTSs LPR systems due to the quality of the system and the successful implementation of these systems in numerous places, said Shay Rozenblat, Manager of Security and Systems Division, AFCON Control and Automation. The Ahuzot Hahof project is a very large and sophisticated project, and it can serve as a model for municipal parking lots worldwide.

HTSs LPR solutions implement proprietary image processing software architecture and algorithms for character and digit recognition, and specially developed camera and illumination systems optimally designed for capturing the target images. HTSs LPR system includes self-developed recognition engine software for simple integration into other applications.

About Hi-Tech Solutions Ltd. (HTS)

HTS is a leading developer and supplier of optical character recognition (OCR) computer vision systems for a wide range of applications in the security, automation and management fields for the ports and traffic markets. HTS has successfully implemented commercial Container Code Recognition (CCR) and License Plate Recognition (LPR) systems in ports, traffic and security sectors in 30 countries worldwide, and has established partnerships with top-tier global companies in over 10 countries. For more information, visit www.htsol.com.

About AFCON Control and Automation

AFCON is Israel's major systems house in the fields of security and parking systems, industrial automation and process control, fire protection and building management systems. Over the years, AFCON's qualified and skilled engineers and technicians have taken part in nearly all of the major interdisciplinary projects in Israel. As a result of its employees' high professional level and reliable service to customers, AFCON has held ISO 9001 certification from the Standards Institution of Israel since 1997. For more information, visit www.afcon.co.il/AfconControl/index.asp?LNGID=1

Contact:

David Kanaan
Kanaan Public Relations
Tel.: +972-3-5408188
Mobile phone: +972-54-4255307
e-mail: david@kanaan.co.il