Thanks to the latest in number-plate scanning technology, the highway patrol will be alerted to unlicenced or unregistered drivers simply while driving around the streets in a specially-fitted car.

Four external cameras on the car will scan passing cars number plates, transmit the data to a server at the station, and then provide alerts to a computer in the car with information about the driver.

Senior Sergeant Mark Edwards said mobile Automatic Number Plate Recognition had been in Melbourne for a while, but Bendigo was one of the first regional areas to get the technology.

"You can take ANPR technology anywhere you want with this, it's terrific," he said.

"The guys are really looking forward to, they’re very excited."

He said mobile ANPR was a much easier way for police to identify unlicenced drivers, suspended drivers, disqualified drivers and unregistered cars and get them off he road.

"We can drive around, even if a car’s parked on the side of a road, we can drive past and the camera will pick it up and show it’s stolen, for example," he said.

"You can pick up a car that’s coming towards you from 200-300 metres away and you'll get an alert on your car saying this car is unregistered, stolen or unlicensed with outstanding sheriff warrants."

He said the majority of highway patrol members were being trained in how to use the car on Monday.

"I dare say this thing will hit the road first thing Tuesday, so yeah, look out," he said.