Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay. Thanks to its ability to automate tasks, make decisions based on data and offer innovative solutions, this technology is being implemented in our society. The mobility sector is no exception, as AI-powered cameras are an increasingly common application in traffic management and surveillance systems in many cities.
As we saw in previous information published in Moveo, the Servei Català de Trànsit (SCT) has cameras equipped with AI that control the use of seat belts and the use of mobile phones behind the wheel. They are installed on the B-23, between Sant Feliu de Llobregat and Sant Joan Despí, and the C-58, in Montcada i Reixac. The cameras photograph all vehicles on the road and, through an automated filtering procedure, detect drivers who are allegedly committing an offence.
In the UK, a world-first AI-powered speed radar has gone live. It has been manufactured by Redspeed International, a company specializing in technology applied to road safety systems, and is installed on the busy A-23. Specifically, in Lambeth, a district in south London, near Charing Cross.
The cinemometer is in the testing phase, waiting for the Ministry of the Interior to give the green light so that it can begin to fine speeding vehicles. But before receiving the go-ahead from the Government, the device has already raised controversy among drivers by revealing that it can also control what happens inside cars.
“The pretext that speed cameras are used exclusively to prevent accidents is a farce. The objective is to maximize its potential to generate income ”, denounces Brian Gregory, a member of the British Drivers Alliance motoring club.
The UK traffic authorities have explained that the Redspeen Sentio, which is the name given to the model of this controversial AI-equipped radar, not only measures the speed of vehicles -as initially announced- but also has other functions. You can control if more people are traveling than allowed and use seat belts, as well as monitor if the driver has jumped a red light or if he manipulates the mobile.
However, the functions of the radar do not end here. The device can connect to the databases of the UK police and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the equivalent of the DGT, to check if the car is up to date on taxes and insurance.
Nick Freeman, a lawyer specializing in traffic-related crimes, believes that the DVLA "goes too far" with the implementation of this AI radar. “As drivers, we feel harassed,” he says of the invasion of privacy posed by the new AI camera.
The camera works with solar energy and can control up to six lanes at the same time, even at night or in low visibility conditions, since it is equipped with infrared rays. In addition to all the functions described above, the radar measures the average speed of the vehicles driving next to the camera.
