Despite the backdrop an unfavorable economic climate, the security industry in the U.S. in general is outperforming expectations, with video-related products driving growth, according to trade associations, which on the whole are optimistic about where the security industry is going.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) is the leading trade association in the electronic physical security arena. It has more than 800 corporate and organizational members, and produces a bimonthly security market index (SMI). The index measures the current thoughts and future expectations of the security industry’s executives.

The latest SMI index stands at 60 – a little down from the beginning of the year but still positive. Any score above 50 indicates conditions within the industry are largely positive and that security professionals hold predominantly confident outlooks.

“If we look at the SMI we see the industry in the U.S. has been growing steady for a few years. There are of course ‘ups and downs’ in the confidence indicator, but overall it is positive,” said Geoff Kohl, Senior Director of Marketing at SIA.

The latest dip has been attributed to tariffs and the U.S.-China trade war. People had doubts but the market managed to sustain the setback, Kohl explained. “The global economy is always something that influences the industry. As long as the economy in general is growing, there will be investment that will require security.”

SIA’s latest poll found that 78 percent of respondents had a positive outlook for the next three months, while 16 percent predicted no change in their business environment and 6 percent responded that they expected a slight decline in business.

Product-wise, video surveillance continued to be a growth driver. “Video growth is outpacing all others, the applications for video as a sensor are very strong and there is a lot of consumer demand for it,” Kohl said.

The quality of the feeds is getting better as are management tools that provide actionable data. “Analytics and AI (artificial intelligence) are definitely influential in driving this forward,” Kohl noted.

According to a survey of 277 data scientists and other artificial intelligence (AI) professionals in large companies across nearly 20 industries, AI is still in its early days and challenges abound to prevent AI’s successful implementation.

Nearly all companies pursuing AI projects have run into problems with data quality and data labeling. Four out of five data scientists said training AI with data is more difficult than they thought, according to the survey conducted by Dimensional Research.

More specifically, errors in data, not enough data, data not in a usable form, and not having enough people and tools to label data, are the challenges.

The amount of data required to train the AI algorithm is huge. 72% of the respondents reported that, in their current project, production-level model confidence will require more than 100,000 labeled data items; 10% indicated they’d need more than 10 million.

“Labeling and annotating training data for machine learning projects is a serious problem for data science teams, and a significant obstacle to getting those projects into production,” says the report titled What Data Scientists Tell Us about AI Model Training Today published by Alegion, which commissioned Dimensional Research to conduct the survey.

Human resource issues

Nearly two thirds of the data scientists surveyed said their machine learning (ML) projects have progressed beyond proof of concept (POC), which is the litmus test for an idea, like identifying strawberries and how ripe they are, for example.

The next phase of feeding the algorithm with enough data “to be ready for validation in the real world” presents a host of challenges, the report says.

Human resource is also an issue. 80% of data scientists’ time is spent on preparing and managing data. This is problematic for companies because data scientists are expensive, and also, it is dissatisfying for data scientists “who take the job to do interesting, challenging and strategic work, not to draw boxes,” the report says. As a result, data scientists are not left with much time to do what they were hired to do – using machine learning to improve the business, and to potentially “carve out a position of industry dominance through innovation,” the report says.

Outsourcing produces results

The surveyed data scientists said “offloading training data labeling and annotation” is associated with a significantly higher rates of successful project deployment. This is not surprising, given the typical volume of training data involved, the small team size and the numerous data quality issues.

“Depending on the volume of data the algorithm requires as well as the number and complexity of the tasks needed to structure the data appropriately, an ML project team may need to find, train, and manage hundreds of people,” says the report.

Up to 71% of companies have outsourced some AI or ML activities. Companies that don’t have the correct data and enough data often outsource the data collection task.

Also, people are needed to supply human judgement to the data preparation process. “These data specialists drive the tools, label the data and evaluate the work of other people,” the report says.

Assa Abloy has signed an agreement to acquire the international identity solutions business of De La Rue, a leading passport manufacturer based in the UK.

“De La Rue´s international identity solutions business is a strategic technological addition to the Assa Abloy Group. The company reinforces our current offering within secure identity solutions. The acquisition of De La Rue´s identity solutions business considerably enhances the Group´s position within citizen ID and will provide complementary growth opportunities,” says Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of Assa Abloy.

“With complementary products, solutions and services that are highly synergistic with HID Global’s current offerings, De La Rue’s identity solutions business is an excellent strategic fit with our mission to power the trusted identities of the world’s people, places and things,” says Stefan Widing, Executive Vice President and Head of HID Global.

The identity solutions business of De La Rue has some 200 employees, and the main office is located in Basingstoke, UK.

Sales for the acquired business’ fiscal year to 30 March 2019 was about GBP 38 million and the acquisition will be neutral to EPS from start.

The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2019.

Hikvision is launching the Technology Partner Program Portal (TPP Portal). This new web-based portal is designed to enhance the collaboration with technology partners and systems integrators, enable development of new and innovative solutions for customers across all markets, and further drive market growth.

Technology partners can use the marketing capabilities of the portal to grow their businesses, taking full advantage of Hikvision’s global reach. Equally, systems integrators can use the portal to learn more about Hikvision technology, to build new relationships with Hikvision’s technology partners.

Jens Berthelsen, Global Partner Alliance Manager at Hikvision, says, “Hikvision has a long-term strategy of working closely with technology partners and systems integrators to build the best possible offerings for customers. The Technology Partner Program Portal will be a driving force in enabling this. The portal will help our technology partners capitalize on their investment in working with Hikvision, and to scale up their businesses in a very cost-effective way. We are very proud of launching our new portal and invite our technology partners to join.”

Hikvision Technology Partner Program Portal: key features and benefits

1. An ever-growing partner platform
The portal will become a comprehensive partner database, and systems integrators will be able to use the TPP Portal to find the ideal partners for each project. The portal will feature a public listing of all technology partners and their locations, coupled with rich information about their solutions, making it the ideal platform for striking up new business relationships.

2. Easy engagement with Hikvision integration support
The TPP Portal empowers technology partners to engage with the Hikvision integration department in a private and password-protected environment. Key modules within the portal include integration support, marketing events, integration project tracking and solution information management.

3. Technical and commercial library
The TPP Portal is a comprehensive repository of technical documentation for systems integration. This includes SDK documentation, software tools and agreements. This area of the portal is only visible to technology partners, and selected sections are visible to individual partners only.

4. Hikvision Embedded Open Program (HEOP) management
Technology partners that want to embed their technology into Hikvision cameras can manage the process here, including distribution-friendly license management.

For more details about the Technology Partner Program Portal, visit https://partner.hikvision.com/tpp

Cerberus Portal is the first stepping stone in digitalising Siemens fire safety products. It represents the initial component of the new Cerberus Cloud Apps offering. This is a clear push towards the current fire protection industry trend.

“There is an ongoing disruptive revolution in our fire safety industry. That revolution is called digitalisation. I am deeply convinced that digitalisation will change the way we do business,” says Johannes Mario Kahlert, Head of Fire Safety at Siemens Smart Infrastructure.

As a cloud application, Cerberus Portal can be used from any online device – PCs, laptops and tablets running on any operating system. This allows all fire control panel information, such as faults, alarms and general system status, to be accessed remotely. A simple user interface and a clear overview of all connected sites draw the operator’s focus to what is really important: have the fire protection system up and running at all times. Cerberus Portal is particularly useful in case of an incident because the real-time data can be examined in detail before dispatching service technicians. Because they know about the issue in advance, they are well prepared and have the necessary information, tools and equipment when they arrive on site. Cerberus Portal is an online application, so system operators do not need to worry about updates. This leaves them free to fully focus on providing their customers with the best service possible.

The Cerberus Connect X300 gateway makes sure all relevant data is delivered to Cerberus Portal in real time. Leveraging the power of edge computing technology, data is preprocessed locally on the gateway before it is sent to the cloud. Not only can this multi-protocol gateway be connected to both Siemens and third-party building products, it is also easy to install and commission. Encrypted transmission technology and a built-in firewall ensure the highest level of security.

Cerberus Portal and Cerberus Connect X300 are compatible with Cerberus PRO networkable panels (FC722, FC723, FC724, FC726).

The digitalisation of fire protection systems and related maintenance activities allows service providers to save time and travel expenses. It is estimated that Cerberus Cloud Apps will enable maintenance companies to take care of up to 10 percent more customers with the same number of staff members.

Johannes Mario Kahlert adds: “Adding this new technology to our product portfolio will open doors to create new remote services, increase our customer satisfaction rate and imagine new innovative applications such as predictive maintenance. With Cerberus Portal and upcoming software products, Siemens Fire Safety is set to become a leader in the digital revolution.”

The global vehicle access control market is projected to grow from USD 10.8 billion in 2020 to reach USD 22.6 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 11.2%. The growth of the vehicle access control market, according to the latest report from Marketsandmarkets, is influenced by the rising demand for security & safety features, increase in vehicle theft, advanced technological investments in automotive, the growing concern of insurance companies over vehicle theft, and increasing sales of the electric vehicles.

Passenger car segment dominates

The passenger car segment is expected to be the largest market during the forecast year due to the adoption of advanced features in passenger cars such as keyless entry, immobiliser, stolen vehicle assist, and alarm. Increasing vehicle theft is one of the primary reasons for OEMs to pre-install vehicle access control systems. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), there were 773,139 vehicles stolen in 2017, up by 0.8% from 767,290 vehicles in 2016. One motor vehicle theft was reported every 40.9 seconds in the United States in 2017. The contribution of non-biometric systems has increased significantly in automotive as all basic models are offering non-biometric systems in passenger cars in the developed countries such as US, Germany, UK, France, Canada, Spain, and Japan.

Biometric systems are expected to lead the vehicle access control market

Although, PCs and LCVs are equipped with basic security features like anti-theft alarms and immobilisers, the upcoming advanced features, especially in premium cars, are demanding biometric systems to make access more convenient for the driver and provide multiple authentications. The personalisation offered by biometric systems in cars favours the demand for safety and security in the future. Fingerprint recognition is the most researched and ready to launch feature today in PCs. According to Marketsandmarkets, the first car to get the fingerprint access will be Hyundai Santa Fe (for the China market first), and this feature will most likely come down the stream and find itself on a range of vehicles in the coming few years.

Asia Pacific predicted as fastest growing market

The researchers say that the Asia Pacific market is the largest because of the growth in China, Japan, and South Korea. Rising vehicle production, increasing demand for luxury vehicles, growing sales of electric cars, and high technological development in the region are driving the vehicle access control market in Asia Pacific. Companies such as KIA, Aptiv, Nissan, and Hyundai are the major players present in the region. The digitalisation in the region also drives growth. For instance, China will be the first country to test fingerprint and face recognition in the upcoming years say the analysts. OEMs are collaborating with biometric manufacturers to implement these systems for car authentication. For example, in March 2019 Hyundai invested USD 5 million in China’s Deep Glint, a Chinese startup specialising in computer vision technology utilising artificial intelligence.

The research finds that the global vehicle access control market is dominated by major players such as Denso Corporation (Japan), Valeo (France), Continental AG (Germany), Robert Bosch (Germany), and Nuance Communication (US).

Wisenet cameras from Hanwha Techwin are being installed throughout the City of Pardubice to assist police in keeping traffic moving and to detect and track stolen vehicles.

Pardubice is the 10th largest city in the Czech Republic with a population of approximately 90,000 and lies on the river Elb, 96 kilometres east of Prague.

The images captured by the majority of the Wisenet cameras so far installed are linked to an Intelligent Traffic Management solution developed by FF Group, a Hanwha Techwin technology partner. The ANPR server based solution enables the simultaneous monitoring of vehicle traffic by up to 32 cameras. Effective with all European number plate formats, it is able to achieve more than 95% number plate recognition accuracy whatever the environmental conditions, even when vehicles are moving at speeds of up to 150 km/h. The ANPR metadata and associated images captured by the Wisenet cameras are sent to the Ministry of Interior (MVČR) where they are checked against a database of stolen c

Phase 1 of the project has seen 135 Wisenet cameras installed at all main routes into the city, as well as at major intersections, roundabouts and squares. A second phase will see in the region of 200 additional cameras deployed in order to monitor activity at bus and train stations, leisure facilities and government buildings.

The cameras have been installed by Telmo, a Prague based systems integrator which, since it was established in 1992, has specialised in fulfilling large turnkey projects. “We have previously successfully worked with the Hanwha Techwin Europe sales and technical team on other projects in the Czech Republic and I was therefore able to confidently recommend that we should single source all the cameras for this project from them,” said Otomar Exner, Key Account Manager at Telmo.

“After carrying out extensive testing, we were also very happy to recommend that FF Group should provide the ANPR solution. In fact, with the two companies working in partnership with us, we have been able to deliver a solution which meets the client’s immediate vehicle identification and tracking needs, but it also allows anonymous utilisation data to be collected in respect of the habits of everyday drivers who travel into specific areas of this city. This data can be analysed to assist long term traffic management planning.”

95 of the 135 cameras installed are Wisenet SNP-6320HP 2 megapixel 32x PTZ network dome cameras. In addition to being a true day/night camera which is able to capture high quality images in low light, the SNP-6320H’s powerful 32 x zoom capability enables operators to observe the close-up detail of any activity. It is also equipped with intelligent auto-tracking capability to ensure a greater level of detail can be captured when no operator is present.

Milestone Systems have hired Jos Beernink as new EMEA Director Channel Sales. Jos Beernink’s most recent position was as VP EMEA Sales at Genetec and with previous positions at Honeywell Security and Fire/ADI, Samsung Electronics and Tech Data.

Jos Beernink will lead EMEA Channel Sales, which is comprised of four sales regions with regional sales managers as direct reports; North Europe, Middle Europe and South Europe as well as Middle East & Africa.

“I am thrilled to be able to attract a true industry heavyweight as Jos Beernink”, says Malou Toft, VP EMEA for Milestone Systems. “Jos brings a wealth of channel and industry experience to his new team and to Milestone Systems.

The appointment of Jos Beernink is part of the new EMEA organization announced in January, aimed at helping Milestone Systems’ community grow, in and beyond security in verticals like retail, transportation and safe cities. The new EMEA organization has three specialized sales areas and a strong consolidated sales & tech operation.

The U.S. administration is considering Huawei-like sanctions on Chinese video surveillance firm Hikvision, media reports show, deepening worries that trade friction between the world’s top two economies could be further inflamed.

The restrictions would limit Hikvision’s ability to buy U.S. technology and American companies may have to obtain government approval to supply components to the Chinese firm, the New York Times reported nyti.ms/2MfgBS3 on Tuesday.

The United States stuck Huawei Technologies on a trade blacklist last week, effectively banning U.S. firms from doing business with the world’s largest telecom network gear maker, in a major escalation in the trade war. The United States has accused Huawei of activities contrary to national security, a charge Huawei denies. Huawei says it can ensure a steady components supply chain without U.S. help.

A Hikvision executive echoed the sentiment.

“Even if the U.S. stops selling them to us we can remedy this through other suppliers,” a Hikvision executive said on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter.

“The chips Hikvision uses are very commercial and most of the suppliers are actually in China,” she said, but added the company had not been informed of any possible U.S. blacklisting.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, reported the U.S. government was deliberating whether to add Hikvision, security equipment maker Zhejiang Dahua Technology and several other unidentified firms to a blacklist.

A Dahua investment department employee declined to comment.

China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday urged the United States to provide a fair environment for Chinese firms, in the wake of reports Hikvision could be blacklisted.

“Recently we have repeatedly expressed China’s position of opposing the United States’ abuse of national power to wilfully smear and suppress other countries’ companies, including Chinese companies,” ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a briefing.

China requires its companies to abide by international norms when investing abroad, but “at the same time we always demand that other countries give Chinese enterprises fair and non-discriminatory treatment”, he added.

Shares in Hikvision, 42% held by state-owned firms, opened 10% lower on Wednesday. It later pared some losses to trade down 6%. Dahua shares slumped as much as 9.2%.

Jefferies analyst Rex Wu downplayed the impact of a possible ban on Hikvision, saying the United States accounted for roughly 5% of the company’s sales.

“Most AI solutions are sold to the government, public and enterprise sectors in China. Hikvision may be able to acquire GPU (graphics processing unit) via local distributors,” Wu said.