A groundbreaking AI camera is being tested in Devon and Cornwall to catch drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The advanced “Heads-Up” camera can identify behaviors that suggest a driver may be impaired. Police stationed further down the road can then stop the vehicle, talk to the driver, and perform roadside alcohol and drug tests.
Geoff Collins, UK general manager of Acusensus, the company behind the camera, said, “We are thrilled to conduct the world’s first trial of this technology here in Devon and Cornwall.”
The camera is portable and can be set up on any road in the region without notice. Drivers won’t know they’ve been spotted until police stop them. Mr. Collins added, “Detecting impairment before it causes a serious accident makes our roads safer.”
Similar cameras by Acusensus have been used to catch drivers using mobile phones or not wearing seatbelts. With drink-drivers six times more likely to be involved in fatal crashes, police hope the Heads-Up system will save lives.
Supt Simon Jenkinson, who oversees the area’s 14,000 miles of roads, said, “Our officers can’t be everywhere. Using new technology like this is crucial to reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”
The trial is running throughout December as part of other drink-driving prevention campaigns.
Source: bbc
