4 Tips on Selecting the Right Under Vehicle Scanner for Your Business

Heightened security concerns over the last decade have introduced an emerging market for security surveillance tools. Among the new technological advances in surveillance, under vehicle inspection systems have seen a sharp rise. Capable of exposing explosive devices, drugs, and other contraband, as well as identifying blacklisted or suspicious vehicles, the under vehicle scanner is becoming an indispensable part of an overall security strategy.

To determine the under vehicle scanner that is right for your facility or event, you need to begin with an assessment of your security needs, followed by an examination of the resources available to meet those needs. Different types of scanners and their add-ons offer a range of choices for companies to consider. Knowing the available scanner features can help companies make a good match.

There are two basic types of under vehicle scanners currently on the market – static scanning systems and real-time video. Static scan uses a much larger camera size and imaging unit than real-time video requires. That creates a huge price increase for the initial purchase of a static scanning system over the real-time video. Add to that cost the necessary in-ground trench to accommodate the long focal length, complicated processing equipment, a fragile lens, costs add up quickly. Real-time video scanners don’t have any of these issues, and are therefore less expensive.

The static line-scan technology in an under vehicle scanner is dramatically superior to area scan or real-time video scanner in terms of its capability for high resolution images with little distortion. This is where companies have to determine need through their own risk-assessment if they need the larger, more complex and costly system, or if the real-time video under vehicle scanning system will meet their needs just as efficiently.

An under vehicle scanner that uses the real-time video technology can process vehicles in a fraction of the time it takes for line-scan processing. Companies need to weigh the risks of giving up ultra-high resolution images in favor of processing more vehicles in a shorter amount of time. Processing time per vehicle may increase by as much as ten seconds.

Lastly, how the company intends to use the under vehicle scanner is a determining factor in whether to choose one scanner over the other. Static scanning technology is not a portable solution. If the primary use is facility security, this offers a good solution. If the scanner is to be used primarily at events or in public spaces, the real-time video scanner is the only solution.