New AI cameras which can detect drivers using their phone at the wheel are being rolled out this week.
The new cameras are being deployed in Greater Manchester this week, with 10 police forces taking part in a trial of the technology which runs until March next year.
It’s claimed the cameras, built by tech company Acusensus, will ‘provide automated recognition of drivers using mobile phones while driving in order to enforce traffic safety laws intended to prevent distracted driving’.
They were first trialled by National Highways in 2021, and they take two pictures at precise angles to detect if the driver is using their smartphone, not wearing a seatbelt, or are otherwise driving distracted.
If the AI system does flag a potential offence, the pictures are then looked at by a person to double check if it was correct.
Fines are only issued after a person has checked the footage and confirmed that an offence was being committed.
Currently the cameras are only in place in Greater Manchester – but there are nine other police forces taking part in the AI trial, which means the cameras could be coming to a road near you in future.
A similar trial in Cornwall last year caught 300 drivers breaking the law in just three days.
National Highways confirmed to Metro that there currently aren’t any other AI cameras out on the roads, as they analyse the data collected so far.
The cameras will be used by the Safer Roads Greater Manchester initiative, to find out how many drivers break the law locally and figure out what sorts of road safety campaigns need to be brought out in future.
Peter Boulton from 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.’
In the long term, it’s hoped the cameras will be attached to motorway gantries in the trial regions, but for now it’s just being used by police forces to help catch motoring offences.
The RAC has backed the move, saying a ‘lack of enforcement’ was making UK roads more dangerous, The Sun reports.
Metro has contacted Greater Manchester Police for more information
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