Questions and Answers
About CarNET in general, the Cloud API and CarNET Server. Didn't find your answer? Ask us.
General
Which cars can you recognize?
More than 3,100 models from about 300 makes, most of them built since 1995. We add new models every month; What's new lists the changes.
How accurate is it?
Accuracy is a relative parameter. Depending on your usage or case, accuracy can range from 0 to 100%. To assess the accuracy of our solution, we downloaded 1000 random images of cars from used car websites. On average we correctly recognized 970+ cars out of 1000. That gives an accuracy rate of 97+%.
Which photos work best?
Photos taken at about the height of a car, with the whole car large in the frame and in good light. Steep top-down camera angles, dark night images or strong blur may reduce recognition quality. See Photos that work best for details.
Is CarNET faster than a general AI model (LLM)?
Yes. On our servers, the Cloud API takes a median of 0.10 seconds for a photo with one car, and 90% of answers take under 0.14 seconds (measured over a day of real requests, not counting the upload). A general AI model usually takes a few seconds per photo. That adds up when you check many photos or camera frames.
How does the price compare with an LLM's?
CarNET has a fixed price: a monthly plan for a set number of requests per day, or a licence for CarNET Server. There are no tokens to count, so every photo costs the same whatever its size, and you know your bill in advance.
Does the same photo always get the same answer?
Yes, as long as the recognition version and your request options stay the same: the same photo gets the same make, model and generation, with the names and IDs from our catalogue, so answers are easy to store and compare. An update can improve answers; What's new lists every change. A general AI model can word its answer differently each time.
Can it work without internet access?
Yes, with CarNET Server: it runs inside your own network and never connects out. A general AI model usually needs a connection to its provider's cloud.
Can it read number plates?
No. CarNET recognizes the car itself: its make, model, generation, colour and angle.
Does it work with video?
Yes, frame by frame: send single frames as photos. Pick frames where the car is large and sharp.
Can it recognize several cars in one photo?
Yes. By default we answer for the car nearest the centre of the photo. With box_select=all, we answer for every car that is large enough to recognize.
Can you adapt CarNET to our needs?
Yes. If you need to recognize specific models, colours or positions of cars, we can build a custom version for you, including a high-performance one.
Your Data
Where are your servers?
In the EU: our Cloud API and website run in data centres in France.
Do you store the photos we send?
No. Photos are processed in memory only, to recognize the car and send back the answer, and are discarded right after. We don't store them, look at them or use them for anything else, including training. CarNET Server runs on your own servers and sends us nothing while it runs. See our Privacy Policy.
Cloud API
How do I get access?
Choose a plan in the pricing table and pay by card. Your API key arrives by email within a few minutes.
How much does it cost?
The price depends on the daily request quota (the number of requests you can send per day) and the rate limit (the maximum number of requests per second). See the pricing table.
How do I know if I am eligible for the Free Tier?
Certain plans are free if you use the Cloud API for a personal project or for education, or if your project is public and you include a clearly visible, active link to the CarNET website in your application or service.
How do I change or cancel my plan?
To update your card, see your invoices or cancel, log in to the Customer Portal with the email you subscribed with. To change your plan, contact us.
CarNET Server
Does it need internet access? Does it send anything to you?
No. CarNET Server runs entirely inside your network and doesn't connect to the internet. Your photos stay on your servers.
How is it installed, and what hardware does it need?
We send it as a Docker image in a file. It runs on Linux with Docker, on a 64-bit Intel or AMD server or virtual machine with 4 GB of RAM. See the requirements.
Does it run on Windows?
CarNET Server runs on Linux. We can also build it for Windows.
CPU or GPU? How fast is it?
A CPU is enough for most sites: one CPU core handles about 8 photos a second. A GPU helps with many camera streams or very high volumes. See the speed table.
How do updates work without internet access?
We send update files with new car models, and you load them the same way as the server. You choose how often: monthly, quarterly, or on demand when you need certain models as soon as possible.
Can I try it first?
Yes. Contact us for a free check: you send 50–100 photos from your cameras, and we run them through our recognition and send you the results.
How is it priced?
Price on request. It depends on your volume, the number of servers and how often you want updates.
Is its API the same as the Cloud API?
Yes: the same requests and the same answers. Code written for the Cloud API works with CarNET Server.
