New AI cameras automatically detect when drivers are breaking the law

23 February 2024 , 10:00

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The cameras are set up on vans or trailers and catch drivers in the act of breaking the law (Image: National Highways)

New AI cameras are being set up on roads across the country to automatically spot if drivers are breaking the law.

These cameras will be used by 10 police forces in a trial, which could mean that a lot of the motorway network is covered. These new mobile cameras can automatically see if drivers are not wearing their seatbelts or if they're using their phones while driving. The cameras are put on top of a vehicle or trailer and raised over the road - and they have multiple lenses so they can get evidence from different angles.

The trial has already started and will go on until March next year. This new technology takes videos of drivers as they pass by. The videos are then looked at by artificial intelligence to see if the drivers might be using their phones or not wearing their seatbelts. They are then sent to the police so they can decide what to do next. Drivers can be fined up to £500 for not wearing a seatbelt and they can also get penalty points. If someone is caught using their phone while driving, they can be fined up to £1,000 and get six penalty points.

The police forces taking part in the trial are Durham, Greater Manchester Police, Humberside, Staffordshire, West Mercia, Northamptonshire, Wiltshire, Norfolk, Thames Valley Police and Sussex. You're four times more likely to have a crash if you're on your phone at the wheel, and twice as likely to die in a crash if you're not strapped in. To make our roads safer, National Highways is using tech developed by AECOM and is sharing it with police forces across the country.

The new tech will be rigged up to gantries to give a clear view of all lanes of traffic. National Highways head of national road user safety delivery, Matt Staton said: "We know that distracted driving and not wearing seatbelts were key factors in a high number of incidents that resulted in people being killed or seriously injured.

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"Working with our police partners we want to reduce such dangerous driving and reduce the risks posed to both the drivers and other people. We believe that using technology like this will make people seriously consider their driving behaviour. We will continue to invest in technology that could help make sure everyone using our roads gets home safe and well."

Dr Jamie Uff is the technical director at AECOM and is the lead research professional who has been managing the deployment of the technology. He said: "AECOM is really pleased to be continuing our work with National Highways, the police and camera suppliers. 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. Although the spying system is paid for by the government roads agency, it will be down to local bobbies to actually punish any law-breakers they find."

Rom Preston-Ellis