AI camera trials to catch out motoring offenders extended to 2025

22 April 2024

Trials of AI speed cameras which can detect drivers committing other offences such as using a mobile phone behind the wheel or failing to wear a seatbelt will be extended to 2025.

National Highways commenced the trials in 2021 on the A23 in Lambeth in South London with the Redspeed camera, which uses 4D radar.

If caught, drivers can be fined up to £500 for not wearing a seatbelt with the addition of penalty points added to their driving licence. Using a mobile phone while driving carries an even weightier fine of up to £1,000 and six penalty points.

Devon and Cornwall police began their own trials in 2022 and within the first couple of weeks caught 590 people driving without seatbelts and 40 using a mobile phone.

The trials are now being extended to more police forces throughout the UK by National Highways, in partnership with consultancy firm AECOM, in order to learn more about how the technology could be rolled out nationwide.

Police forces in Durham, Greater Manchester Police, Humberside, Staffordshire, West Mercia, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Norfolk, Thames Valley Police and Sussex will take part in this next stage of the trials.

Currently, the cameras are fixed to a vehicle or trailer with multiple devices used to provide different views of the driver and passengers. However, there are plans for the cameras to be fixed on motorway gantries in order to provide an unobscured view of all lanes.

AECOM technical director Dr Jamie Uff has been managing the deployment of the technology and commented, “Our work to date has highlighted the scale of the issue, has shown that technology can play a valuable role, and that there is much still to be understood about driver behaviour given the new insights gained.

“Expanding the deployments and integrating data processing with police systems is an important step towards this technology making a significant contribution to road safety.”

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