Video Analytics : Heatmap Zone And Entry Tracker

Video-based car counting uses computer vision to detect and track vehicles as they move through a defined area. The process begins with zone definition, i.e., polygonal regions of interest (ROIs) drawn directly on a video frame. For a Single Zone with entry direction, the system tracks which side of the zone boundary a vehicle crosses from, letting it distinguish incoming from outgoing traffic and produce a net directional count. For Multiple Zones, the system independently counts detections within each region simultaneously, useful for traffic density mapping across different lanes or intersections.
Once zones are saved, each video frame is processed through an object detection model that identifies bounding boxes around cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles. A tracking algorithm assigns persistent IDs to each vehicle across frames, ensuring the same vehicle isn’t counted multiple times as it travels through the scene. When a tracked car crosses a zone boundary or appears within a polygon, the counter increments. The result is a real-time or post-processed count per zone, visualized as an overlay on the video with running totals. This approach is widely used in traffic flow analysis, toll management, smart parking systems, urban planning, and road safety monitoring.