Securing number plates based on digital signatures and RFID

The automated detection of vehicles forms an important part of Intelligent Transportation Systems. The vehicle number plate is the primary token used for the identification of the vehicle; the number plates industry is however plagued by counterfeit or duplicate plates used to evade the law. ANPR can partly fulfill the requirement for automated vehicle identification but cannot differentiate between legal and illegal number plates. The need therefore exists for a high integrity technique to identify number plates. This paper describes how RFID can be used for this purpose, in combination with digital signatures to enable offline verification. It shows how elliptic curve cryptography can be used to obtain the required cryptographic key strength without exceeding the storage limitations of passive RFID. The paper defines the criteria for a number plate management system that will not only enforce integrity onto the issuing and distribution process, but that will enable effective law enforcement for number plates in use. It then describes a system aimed at the efficient and secure management of number plates over their complete life cycle, from the production of blank plates till the final disposal of plates.