Design And Implementation Of An Online Vehicle And Plate Number Registration And Identification System

INTRODUCTION
Vehicle Registration in Nigeria began over 100 years ago and the records have
been essentially manual which in turn has not help to raise the efficiency of
general automotive services in recent years. Today, computer has been
discovered as a very efficient instrument, which has played a very significant role
in adequate management of information. Besides, it has played more roles in
country. However, computerization has helped in many areas of life and due to
vehicle owners, the thought of computerization of this operation becomes of
great important in order to wipe out the manual data processing system from
which many problem have originated. The problems, which have engulfed the
objectives of motor vehicles registration, are extensively discussed in this project
together with the new method that was innovated. This work is conducted
towards the computerization of the various problems in processing data in order
to identify the various problems that are been encountered in the registration of
vehicles manually. This theory also compares the existing system with the new
system, which is exact, and a faster way of processing data and the problem faced
by customers when they are registering their vehicles. There are different
programs that can be written to develop such programs, PASCAL, JAVA. VISUAL
BASIC, and C++ etc. But I will be making use of PHP, Database (MySQL) they are
both working with Apache server (Xamp). The Software design used Macromedia
Dreamweaver, firework, flash, and switchmax.
The World is experiencing an information knowledge revolution that is
fundamentally transforming the way in which human activities are carried out.
Government’s worldwide are adopting e -government as a means of improving
their services to businesses and citizens, promoting economic and social
development, and enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of government
operations.
Computer plays vital role in the development of any company it also saves
some of its complex problem that is been faced by man and processes
voluminous data within a short period of time or at an incredible speed. Recent
emphasis on information and data processing in most of our business has grown
adversely as in the case of motor vehicle license and plate registration. In as much
as motor vehicle registration has been in existent for ages now, the old system of
registration has been in adoption which did not play a significant role on highway
safety until the development of the new system of vehicle registration where a
reflective sheeting which is more visible to read even in the dark. This new system
of motor vehicle and plate number registration, which is the main focus of this
project, came into existent on the 19th March 1997 and handled by the motor
licensing officer. It was introduced to enforce strict compliance to traffic rules and
regulation as well as providing a proper data as to the behavior of road users. The
roles, which the introduction of computer system will play in this function, will
about more efficiency, effectiveness and improve competence.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Vehicle Registration in Nigeria began over 100 years ago and the records
have been essentially manual which in turn has not help to raise the efficiency of
general automotive services in recent years. Motor licensing office Abuja only
focuses on vehicle registration and inspection, and not on other supporting
services such as vehicle tracking, learner’s driving permission, and drivers’ license
management, monitoring of drivers and vehicles operations and documentation
of both accident and crime report.
Vehicle registration in the city, state, and district offices burdened
applicants by requiring them to personally deliver the certified copy of resident’s
registration and other documents.
Vehicle Registration used to involve manual recording of vehicle’s
information which ranges from cars to buses and later to trucks and heavy duty
equipment on ledgers and tracking other related information such as registration,
road worthiness test certificates, change of ownership, engine and chassis
numbers; and expiration of road license. This process has been extremely
inefficient and the recovery of the information was not possible once ledgers
were damaged or lost as it frequently occurs.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
These are the problems that are being encountered in the manual system of
assigning a plate number to newly acquired vehicle in the department of vehicle
licensing and registration, (Licensing office Abuja). The limited factors listed below
have slowed realization of the good intention:
(i) Participation of Unauthorized Officers: Unauthorized offices according
to my observation are involved in this work especially in the registration
of illegal vehicles which can encourage fraud.
(ii) Wrong Charging of Fees: The officer in-charge is bound to charge a
wrong bill to vehicle owners, which may be as a result of
underassessment or over assessment of vehicles. This could be with
motive to commit fraud or as a result of mistake on the part of the
officer at work.
(iii) Wrong Sales Allocation: Staff under a particular state motor vehicle
licensing office indulges in registering of vehicles that does not belong to
their state.
(iv) Improper Accounting: There is the tendency of the cashier involved in
the handling of income generated to make mistake during this process,
thus having some measures of inaccuracy in the work.
(v) There is difficulty at times in tracing a record/information cautioning a
vehicle owner due to improper information keeping as a result of
carelessness or volume in the size of record kept.
(vi) Mental/Manual Labor: This involves the use of strength and Brain and
the body. The officer in-charge goes through mental labor because he
has to sort the records of the entire vehicle in his domain of jurisdiction.
He suffers from Manual labor because he has to write all the way.
(vii) Excess Time Consumption: There is excessive time consumption
because the motor licensing officer has to write and enter the
information of the vehicle after the person whose vehicle is to be
registered has paid a prescribed amount of money to the licensing
authority accompanied with duly completed application, depending on
the type of vehicle, write personal information about the person whose
vehicle is to be registered and the category of vehicle whether
commercial, privates, special purpose and so on, then your plate
(iv) Improper Accounting: There is the tendency of the cashier involved in
the handling of income generated to make mistake during this process,
thus having some measures of inaccuracy in the work.
(v) There is difficulty at times in tracing a record/information cautioning a
vehicle owner due to improper information keeping as a result of
carelessness or volume in the size of record kept.
(vi) Mental/Manual Labor: This involves the use of strength and Brain and
the body. The officer in-charge goes through mental labor because he
has to sort the records of the entire vehicle in his domain of jurisdiction.
He suffers from Manual labor because he has to write all the way.
(vii) Excess Time Consumption: There is excessive time consumption
because the motor licensing officer has to write and enter the
information of the vehicle after the person whose vehicle is to be
registered has paid a prescribed amount of money to the licensing
authority accompanied with duly completed application, depending on
the type of vehicle, write personal information about the person whose
vehicle is to be registered and the category of vehicle whether
commercial, privates, special purpose and so on, then your plate
number and vehicle license is prepared after a given period of time.
When put together, the time spent on all of these is much.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
As we have seen from the statement of the problems, the things that
stand’s as puzzle in the manual system of motor vehicle registration aims at
introducing a better system which is the computerized system which will
contribute in providing solution to the problems.
i. To reduce the amount of time spent in registration of motor vehicle and
information for all the vehicle owners.
ii. To ensure a very high level of accuracy during registration of certain vehicle
or category of vehicles that are prone to errors in the manual system.
iii. To develop a system that will allow for the generation and assignment of an
infinite identification mark or number (that is, the vehicle plate number).
iv. To replace the manual system of registration with a computerized system
that will make registration simple and easy for registration officer and
vehicle owner.
v. To provide restriction of illegal access of this program will be limited
therefore password will be created for the application software. This
password will just be limited to the officer in charge of the work.
vi. This also aims at giving an up-to-date report of the revenue generates from
vehicle registration within a defined period.

1.4 SCOPE OF STUDY
The application of this study is a must for any country that wants to be
Information and Communication Technology inclined and ready to reduce the
vehicle crime rate and corruption in her system. The scope of this study should be
for Liaison Offices and organizations like (Motor licensing office Abuja) that issue
vehicle licenses and other vehicle registration documents.

1.5 LIMITATONS OF THE STUDY
In as much as I have so many areas where one could have covered for a
wider generalization of result. Some factors have posed as an obstacle to this, and
some of these constraints are as follows:
i. Finance: This contributed in my project research since there was much
money exhausted in moving to and fro to gather facts for this work.
ii. Time: As students where probably involved in schoolwork like writing of
assignment quizzes and other engagement, thus there isn’t enough time to
attend classes.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Due to the constant rise in technology, it is necessary to use computer to
Process voluminous data within a short period of time or at an incredible speed.
This project is to help provide efficiency, effectiveness and improve competence
issuance of vehicle license, plate number and other related activities. The
importance of this study includes:
i. To expedite the efficiency of principal licensing officer in the processing
of vehicle registration documents.
ii. To develop a method that will allow easy storage and retrieval of vehicle
and owner’s registration information at any time in the future.
iii. To develop a highly accurate method of generating and assigning plate
numbers and how to interpret them.
iv. To determine the easiest and fastest way to access vehicle owner’s
registration information and missing vehicles.
v. To enable security agencies find missing vehicles.
vi. To develop an easy method for generating and assigning plate numbers
or identification mark.

1.7 ASSUMPTION OF THE STUDY
One of the major assumptions made in this study work is that manual
methods of keeping records are ineffective, time wasting, prone to error and
unsecured. It is also assumed that computerized base systems will motivate the
staff members to work more effectively and efficiently when registering vehicles
and other activities. I also believe that the facts and observation gotten from the
office are all reliable for the study to be a very successful one.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS/VARIABLES
The following are some of the terminologies used in the project work.
Vehicle Plate Number: This is a metallic or plastic plate attached to a motor
vehicle for official identification purposes. The number is made up of
alphanumeric characters or numbers.
Vehicle Registration: is the process where we add a vehicle’s details to the
motor vehicle register and issue its registration plates. You have to license
your vehicle regularly at least annually and you must display a current
license label on your vehicle windscreen.
Vehicle Licensing: A regular fee paid to permit the use of one’s vehicle on
the public roads. The fee helps to pay for road projects and road safety
programs. Your vehicle must be both registered and licensed for you to
legally drive it on the road.
Vehicle owner: is a person who has met up with the entire necessary
requirement for owning a vehicle and has the right to drive it on public
roads.
Vehicle Registration and Enquiry Software (VehRES) System: This is
application software that is a customizable data collection system, which
can be used by law enforcement and motor vehicle agencies (i.e. Liaison
Offices) nationwide. The VehRES are compatible with both laptop and
desktop personal computers (PC) can be used to collect registered vehicle
information for registration, renewal, updating, correction and tracking.
Licensing office: A place where vehicle registration, licenses and other
vehicle related documents are performed.
Licensing officers: Is a person who registers vehicles in the licensing office.
Vehicle: A mechanically propelled and wheeled object used for
conveyance.
Computerization: Introduction of the use of computer in an application
area by writing a program that will suit the work.
ICT: This is an acronym for Information and Communication Technology.
Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC): They serve as law enforcement
agency charged with responsibilities for, among others, policymaking,
organization and administration of road safety in Nigeria.
E-Government: There is no one common definition of E – Government,
although the term is widely used. (Norris, 2005) view E – Government as a
technology exercise, integrating individual database and websites of
government, while (Batschneider, 1990) view it as a means of bringing the
government closer to the common citizen through provision of public
services online.
Driver’s license or driving license is an official document, which states that
a person may operate a motorized vehicle, such as a motorcycle, car, truck
or a bus, on a public roadway. The laws relating to the licensing of drivers
vary between jurisdictions. In some jurisdictions, a license is issued after
the recipient has passed a driving test, while in others; a person acquires a
license before beginning to drive. Different categories of license often exist
for different types of motor vehicles, particularly large trucks and passenger
vehicles. The difficulty of the driving test varies considerably between
jurisdictions, as do factors such as age and the required level of practice
AutoReg Vehicle license: Is the automated vehicle license registration and
renewal system, which is for all vehicle owners to register or renew their
vehicle license with the state government. It is renewed annually; it shows
the details of the vehicle owner and Vehicle details.