Germany will use a new type of camera technology to stop a distracted ride that can see your car and determine if you are holding a smartphone.
Distracted driving is a common problem around the world, and as smartphones become more connected to our vehicles, many people are finding it it’s getting harder and harder not to mess with them in the car.
“In 2021 alone, there were 1,001 distractions caused by distractions, including the use of a mobile phone while driving,” said State Secretary Roger Levenz (SPD). “Using the new camera, we expect to further improve road safety.”
According to Automatic sports, the technology works similarly to a regular speed camera, but instead of photographing your license plate, it takes a picture through your windshield. Intelligent software scans the position of the driver’s hands and whether he holds the device. Suspicious hand positions will be photographed and the photo will be evaluated by specially trained personnel.
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The southeastern Australian state of NSW has been using special detection cameras to capture drivers on their mobile phones since March 2020.
The test units were set up in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany, a single monocamera was installed over the road with a designated computer and directed downwards at an angle that can be seen in the car cab below. For an hour of work the camera has already recorded 10 offenders.
Officials were convinced the technology was working, and on June 1, 2022, it will be commissioned as a three-month pilot project in Trier. After the next trial period in Mainz, the data will be analyzed and officials will decide to expand the system.
The fines will be as low as 100 euros ($ 105) and 1 point in the offender’s license, but police say efforts to prevent people from dangerous behind the wheel using his phonerather than levying fines.
Other parts of the world have also started using cameras to catch people distracted driving. In New South Wales, Australia, phone detection cameras have been in operation since 2019 and were then adopted by Dutch police, making it the first example of their use in a European country.
German authorities also say the camera does not recognize faces, and emphasize that the state commissioner has recognized data protection and information security as harmless.
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https://www.carscoops.com/2022/05/germany-to-catch-distracted-drivers-holding-smartphones-with-new-cameras/
