The N4 Toll Route is a brownfield toll road concession stretching 630 kilometres from Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital, to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique and a deep-sea port on the Indian Ocean. Operational since August 2000, the N4 is one of the most important trade routes in the region, running across South Africa from Botswana to Mozambique.
Surveillance on the N4 route consists mostly of analog cameras and DVRs. Swapping out antiquated analogue equipment for IP surveillance across 630 kilometres poses a monumental challenge in and of itself without factoring in the need for a seamless transition without disturbing daily toll operations.
Commissioned by Trans Africa Concessions (TRAC), Vivotek collaborated to provide a solution, with system integrator, Africa Technology Operations and Maintenance (ATOM), to upgrade and replace hundreds of cameras on the N4 Toll Route. This included upgrading from many individual DVRs to a centrally managed system using Vivotek’s Vast 2 software.
A total of 130 Vivotek 2-megapixel IP9165-LPR-A Kit cameras were installed for license plate recognition (LPR) on the N4. These cameras are outdoor-ready with IP68 and IK10 rated housings, and their anti-glare capabilities enable crystal-clear LPR across two lanes at speeds up to 90 km/hr.
Additionally, 105 Vivotek IB9387-HT cameras were installed at N4 toll booth lanes to provide overview surveillance coverage. The 5-megapixel, hi-resolution IB9387-HT outdoor bullet cameras offer effective image quality at 30/60 fps in 1080P. They are also equipped with IR illuminators for up to 50 metres of night visibility. Both the IP9165-LPR-A kit and IB9387-HT cameras serve dual functions of surveillance and detection, effectively minimizing financial loss from intentional and unintentional incidents.
Furthermore, 105 Vivotek IT9389-H cameras were installed inside toll booths along the N4 to record high-quality audiovisual data as evidence in case of disputes. The 5-megapixel IT9389-H outdoor turret cameras feature Vivotek’s Supreme Night Visibility (SNV) and 120dB WDR Pro, ensuring hi-res images at 30 fps any time of day.
Vivotek provided an excellent cost/benefit trade off for the client. The N4 Toll Route was able to replace their old system of analogue cameras and DVRs with a network of high-resolution LPR cameras and 5-megapixel surveillance cameras consolidated into a seamless IP surveillance system using the Vast 2 central management software. VAST 2 simplified the management of the cameras while providing end-user analytics. The entire system with all peripheral benefits was achieved at a competitive price point compared to various others that were also considered.
