Motor Fuel Group (MFG), the UK independent forecourt operator, has had video cameras installed to protect its electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs.
As the sales of electric vehicles grow, MFG is planning to offer electric vehicle (EV) charging bays – up to 12 bays at each station – across its 900-plus forecourts. Dedicated Wisenet video surveillance systems made by Hanwha Techwin are being installed to deter and detect vandals; and aid the customer experience by helping MFG staff to identify if any charging equipment has been damaged.
Andrew Edwards, group infrastructure director at MFG, said: “Reflecting the wish of many drivers to own eco-friendly vehicles, we expect the sales of EVs to continue to rapidly increase year-on-year, which is why we have made a commitment to lead the market with the provision of fast, clean and 100% renewable energy.”
The contract to install went to AGE CCTV, a division of AGE Electrical Services Ltd. Jason Gargiulo, Managing Director of AGE CCTV, said: “We have been installing new video surveillance solutions and upgrading existing systems at MFG forecourts for over 15 years. In all cases, we have used Wisenet cameras in line with MFG’s decision to single source cameras and recording devices from Hanwha Techwin.
“It was just a simple matter therefore of working with Hanwha Techwin’s pre-sales and technical teams in order to specify which Wisenet camera from the company’s extensive range, would best assist MFG personnel to observe close up detail of any activity occurring at their EV charging hubs.”
Depending on the number of charging bays at a location, AGE CCTV has installed one or more 5-megapixel Wisenet QNO-8080R bullet cameras.
The QNO-8080R comes with infra-red (IR) illuminators which enables it to capture images regardless of the lighting, the product firm says. The product also brings Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) which performs at up to 120dB to produce images from scenes containing a mix of bright and dark areas; which normally results in over-exposed or under-exposed images.
With many MFG (EV) charging sites being unmanned, authorised MFG staff are able at any time to remotely access the live images from the H.265 Wisenet QNO-8080R cameras or retrieve recorded video of any incidents. They can do so from a desktop PC or laptop by using Hanwha Techwin’s management software or via their smartphones or tablets using the Wisenet mobile app.
The images are sent over 4G; here, the WiseStream II complementary compression technology built into the QNO-8080R is proving of use, the installer reports. Bandwidth efficiency is improved by up to 75 per cent compared to H.264 technology when WiseStream II is combined with H.265 compression, according to the manufacturer.
Andrew Edwards added: “We are delighted with how AGE CCTV and Hanwha Techwin are continuing to work in partnership to help us achieve these objectives.”
