Wisenet video surveillance systems have been entrusted to protect MFG electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs.

Motor Fuel Group (MFG), the UK’s largest independent forecourt operator, has entrusted Wisenet cameras manufactured by Hanwha Techwin, to help protect its major investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs.

With the sales of electric vehicles growing, MFG is accelerating its plans to offer ultra-rapid, electric vehicle (EV) charging bays – up to 12 charging bays at each location – across its 900+ station network. Dedicated Wisenet video surveillance systems are being installed to deter and detect vandals, as well as maximise the customer experience by helping MFG personnel to quickly 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.”

AGE CCTV

The contract to install the Wisenet systems was awarded to AGE CCTV, a division of AGE Electrical Services Ltd. “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,” said Jason Gargiulo, Managing Director of AGE CCTV.

“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.”

5-megapixel images

Depending on the number of charging bays at each location, AGE CCTV has installed one or more 5-megapixel Wisenet QNO-8080R bullet cameras.

The QNO-8080R is a true day/night camera, equipped with built-in IR illuminators which enables it to capture superb quality images regardless of the lighting conditions. It also benefits from enhanced Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) which performs at up to 120dB to produce clear images from scenes containing a challenging mix of bright and dark areas which normally results in overexposed or underexposed images.

With many MFG (EV) charging sites being unmanned, authorised MFG personnel are able at any time to remotely access the live images captured by the H.265 Wisenet QNO-8080R cameras or retrieve the recorded video of any incidents. They can do so from a desktop PC or laptop by using Hanwha Techwin’s management software or conveniently via their smartphones or tablets using the Wisenet mobile app.

The images are transmitted over 4G technology and in this respect, the WiseStream II complementary compression technology built into the QNO-8080R is proving to be a significant benefit. Bandwidth efficiency is improved by up to 75% compared to current H.264 technology when WiseStream II is combined with H.265 compression.

As a forward-looking company, MFG has never hesitated to invest in the latest technology to ensure its people, property and assets are kept safe and that they provide the highest quality of service to its customers. MFG’s Andrew Edwards concluded:

“We are delighted with how AGE CCTV and Hanwha Techwin are continuing to work in partnership to help us achieve these objectives.”