Warning as new AI cameras will spot drivers on their phones from tomorrow
Motorists could be slapped with a £1,000 fine and six points on their licence if they're nabbed by new AI cameras for using their mobile phones while driving. The cutting-edge devices are designed to catch drivers who are on their phones or not wearing seatbelts - two behaviours that authorities have identified as "key factors" in road accidents.
National Highways and police forces are keen to make our roads safer and have therefore expanded an ongoing trial of these state-of-the-art cameras to additional parts of the country, including Greater Manchester, Sussex and Durham. The cameras in Greater Manchester, which will be operational from Tuesday, have been developed by tech firm Acusensus.
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They claim that the devices "provide automated recognition of drivers using mobile phones while driving in order to enforce traffic safety laws intended to prevent distracted driving". Nine other police forces have agreed to participate in the extended rollout of the AI cameras, namely; Durham, Humberside, Staffordshire[2], West Mercia, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Norfolk, Thames Valley and Sussex. But how accurate are these cameras?
Could you be wrongly penalised?
The "Heads Up" AI technology, initially trialled by National Highways in 2021, is revolutionising the way driving offences are detected. Capable of capturing footage of vehicles speeding up to 300km (186 miles) per hour, the system utilises advanced AI to identify drivers using their mobile phones or passengers not wearing seatbelts.
The process involves snapping two types of photos: a shallow angle shot to spot if the driver is holding a phone to their ear or failing to wear a seatbelt, and a deeper angle image to check for texting. After the AI does its part, a human operator steps in to verify the offence before issuing a penalty charge notice.
If no offence is detected, Acusensus ensures that the image is promptly deleted from the records.
But what happens to this data?
Safer Roads Greater Manchester plans to use the information gathered in their county to conduct a survey on the prevalence of these traffic violations. The aim is to inform future road safety campaigns focusing on mobile phone use and seatbelt compliance.
This follows in the footsteps of previous initiatives by Safer Roads' Touch Screen, which also harnessed data to promote awareness around the risks of smartphone usage while driving.
Staggering Department for Transport (DfT) data has found that 400,000 drivers a year continue to use a mobile device while at the wheel, sketching a dire picture wherein drivers are up to four times more likely to be involved in a collision if they use their smartphone whilst driving. Furthermore, individuals are doubly prone to die in an accident if they discard their seat belt.
When will the testing phase wrap up?
The trial of the AI camera system will extend until March 2025. Should it prove effective, AI cameras are poised to become a permanent fixture on motorway gantries across the country.
Peter Boulton, who serves as the network director for highways at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: "In Greater Manchester we know that distractions and not wearing seat belts are key factors in a number of road traffic collisions on our roads which have resulted in people being killed or seriously injured."
"By utilising this state-of-the-art technology provided by Acusensus, we hope to gain a better understanding of how many drivers break the law in this way, whilst also helping to reduce these dangerous driving practices and make our roads safer for everyone."
What is their effectiveness rate?
Astoundingly, new standalone AI cameras set up along the A30 near Launceston in Devon flagged up 117 individuals using their phones whilst driving within a mere 72-hour span. An additional 130 drivers were found ditching their seatbelts.
Moreover, this past July in 2023, almost 500 incidents were reported in a single week by Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, who had deployed a van featuring AI-mounted cameras.
RAC road safety spokesman, Rod Dennis, expressed his concern: "Despite the penalties for using a handheld phone having doubled to six penalty points and a £200 fine seven years ago, it's clear far too many drivers are still prepared to put lives at risk by engaging in this dangerous practice."
"We suspect a major reason for this is a lack of enforcement, meaning many drivers have no fear of being caught. AI-equipped cameras that can automatically detect drivers breaking the law offer a chance for the tide to be turned."
"The police can't be everywhere all of the time, so it makes sense that forces look to the best available technology that can help them catch drivers acting illegally."
References
- ^ Birmingham News Email Updates (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Staffordshire (www.birminghammail.co.uk)