
The big ANPR glitch and why license plate cameras get it wrong
From Which? by Which?
April 13, 2026 · 16 min
About this episode
This episode discusses the inaccuracies of ANPR technology and its impact on parking fines.
Have you received a private parking fine that makes no sense? You might be a victim of an ANPR camera error. In this episode we talk about the Which? investigation that uncovered why Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology seems to be plagued by so many inaccuracies. While the industry boasts a 97% accuracy rate, the remaining 3% results in misreadings every day. We're joined by Which? writer Hannah Downes who discusses everything from double dipping, to criminals cloning number plates to avoid ULEZ fees and parking charges. Read more about the changes on our website & sign up for our free weekly scoop newsletter Become a Which? member for 50% off the usual price
People in this episode
Host: Which?
Guest: Hannah Downes
Topics covered
- ANPR technology
- parking fines
- license plate cameras
- accuracy rates
- misreadings
- investigation
Keywords
- ANPR
- license plate recognition
- parking fines
- accuracy
- misreadings
- Hannah Downes
- Which?
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Which?, ULEZ
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