Access control

The context of the solution

Ensuring selective access for trained personnel only is a major challenge in industrial sites. Traditional cards and chips fail in high anonymity environments as they do not allow unambiguous identification of the holder
with the authorised person. At Škoda Auto, we have eliminated this problem by integrating IPLOG controllers and advanced biometrics. This solution guarantees 100% addressability and access security for more than 30,000 employees across the production sites.

Solution description

The original access control system based on turnstiles with RFID readers was extended with video surveillance with SAFR facial recognition software. IPLOG controllers receive card numbers from Wiegand readers in real time and compare them with biometric data from the SAFR system. The result of this verification is then stored directly in the event database. The system automatically evaluates three scenarios:

• Match - Authorized person with the correct identification card.
• Card misuse - Unknown person using a valid card.
• Card substitution - Known person attempting to pass with an improper card.

Solution Benefits

• High scalability - The system architecture allows for easy expansion with additional access points across the entire site, which is crucial in a dynamic environment like Skoda Auto.
• Protection of previous investments - Implementation did not require costly replacement of existing infrastructure. The original RFID readers were retained and the system was only effectively supplemented with a new level of biometric security.
• Intuitive management - Although the background technology is very complex, operation remains simple and straightforward for security personnel, minimizing training requirements and reducing monitoring errors.