Aadhya Khatri - Dec 04, 2019

If the AI spots a violation, it will take a picture of the driver in the act and send it back to human moderators for verification

Of all the traffic violations, using phones while driving is one of the most common. This practice may distract drivers and has the potential to cause severe accidents. As we cannot rely on the levels of responsibility each person has while they are on the road, the answer here is to use technology to prevent the act.

In Australia, AI proves to be useful to help the police identify this violation. This technology is what powers the world’s first smartphone detecting camera, which has already been used in New South Wales. What the camera does is to find drivers who use smartphones while driving.

With an aim to ensure road safety, this camera will follow drivers who show signs of using phones. If the AI spots a violation, it will take a picture and send it back to human moderators for verification.

In the first three months after the implementation of this system, the drivers who get caught will only receive warnings. However, after this trial stage, the penalties will become much more severe. For each violation, each driver will be submitted to a fine of $233. Five points will be added to the driver’s license. Violations taking place in school districts will see an even harsher penalty of US$310.

The authorities believe that this measure can help reduce road traffic accidents caused by reckless drivers who lose focus because of their phones. According to Bernard Carlon, New South Wales’ transportation safety officer, tests have shown that the AI-powered camera can reduce around 100 severe car crashes in a period of five years.

While the system shows signs of being effective, it can also raise privacy concerns as it is allowed to take pictures of people on the road and there are human moderators behind to check the camera’s work.