MAV Systems wins ‘Innovation of the Year’ at the 2026 Made in Britain Impact Awards, after its pioneering camera technology identified over 600 suspected offenders in just 14 days

A Kent manufacturer developing technology to identify vehicles using cloned, disguised or deliberately manipulated number plates, such as ghost plates, has won a national innovation award after its system detected 628 suspected offenders in just 14 days.

MAV Systems, which manufactures leading-edge intelligence Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, was awarded the ‘Innovation of the Year’ prize at the 2026 Made in Britain Impact Awards for developing technology that can identify vehicles that typical camera systems fail to detect.

The company secured the accolade on Wednesday 4th November at The Bank House Hotel & Golf Club in Worcester at the annual awards organised by Made in Britain – the not-for-profit trade organisation behind the internationally recognised trademark for British-made goods.

Helen Garrett, International Business Development for MAV Systems, said: “There are an awful lot of people hiding illegally operated vehicles in plain sight, often trying to avoid congestion charges or speeding fines by disguising their number plates so they still look genuine. The use of cloned and ghost plates often goes beyond just fine avoidance as we are witnessing their increasing presence in escalating criminal activities. 

“Our technology can now see through those evasive techniques and give the police and local authorities an added advantage. It can also support the identification of vehicles carrying cloned plates by comparing vehicle classification data, including make, model and colour, to registration data, helping authorities detect vehicles that would previously have appeared invisible to traffic and parking systems.”

John Pearce, CEO of Made in Britain, said: “MAV Systems has developed an ingenious British-made solution to a problem with significant consequences for road safety and law enforcement. This is an outstanding example of British engineering addressing a real-world problem, and MAV Systems thoroughly deserves to be recognised as our Innovation of the Year winner.”

The award-winning MAV AiQ system addresses a growing challenge for police and traffic enforcement authorities: drivers using modified or fraudulent registration plates to avoid detection. Conventional ANPR cameras are vulnerable to techniques that interfere with how plates appear to camera systems. These can include altered reflectivity, infrared-absorbing materials and visual distortion.

MAV Systems has spent two years developing its proprietary GhostPlate Technology, combining specialist imaging with artificial intelligence to identify registration plates deliberately designed to evade conventional recognition systems.

The MAV AiQ also analyses vehicle characteristics, including make, model and colour, helping authorities identify potentially cloned registrations where the displayed number plate cannot be trusted.

In one parking enforcement deployment, the system identified 628 suspected users of disguised number plates in just 14 days, representing previously undetected enforcement activity with an estimated financial impact exceeding £10,000 per month. The technology has also been deployed at the Port of Dover, where it improved system performance by 20%.

Judges praised the innovation for its potential to strengthen road safety, support criminal investigations and improve the security of transport infrastructure.

MAV Systems was recognised alongside two other British manufacturers developing innovative solutions to longstanding industry challenges. Excell Metal Spinning was Highly Commended in the category, while Kerbo Charge was named runner-up.

The Innovation of the Year award was judged by Joe Bush, Editor of The Manufacturer, and sponsored by Asquith Bhondi R&D.

Now in their fifth year, the Made in Britain Impact Awards celebrate achievements across eight categories, recognising manufacturers for their contributions to innovation, exporting, procurement, marketing, sustainability, social impact, leadership and heritage.

Organised by the not-for-profit trade organisation, Made in Britain, the awards recognise businesses licensed to use the official Made in Britain trademark.

Other winners at the 2026 Made in Britain Impact Awards included Invica Industries (Heritage Manufacturer of the Year), Rotary Precision Instruments (Heroes of British Export), Apex Pumps (Excellence in Procurement), Orange Campers (Marketing Campaign of the Year), Trueform Engineering (Social Impact in Manufacturing Award), Anna Angel of Anya Sushko Handbags England (Inspiring Leader of the Year) and Aluminium Shapes (Sustainability Initiative of the Year).

Scarab Sweepers, part of the Fayat Group, was also presented with the special Trademark Excellence Award in recognition of its commitment to championing British manufacturing through the Made in Britain trademark.

For more information about the official Made in Britain campaign, visit: www.madeinbritain.org.

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