Using a mobile device while driving is one of the most dangerous things that a motorist can do when behind the wheel, but it is thought that new AI technology could help police forces to crack down on this activity without the individual knowing.
The idea is that roadside camera detectors could be used to take photos of people using their phones or other devices while driving, as they will be intelligent enough to be able to both detect the exact vehicle which is being driven via ANPR and then identify the offence in action as the offender drives past.
Image recognition AI software
At present, it is not known exactly how this new AI technology will work, but it is understood that image recognition software will be part of it and police forces around the world are looking into how they could be using this technology to help them to detect and deter criminal activity.
Basic versions of AI are already being put to use in automatic number plate recognition technology, and advances in the development of long-range cameras and other high definition imagery can help police to get clear photos of those who are breaking the law while on the roads.
The police force in New South Wales, Australia, is backing a Government decision to find technology-based solutions which will help to address the problem of people using their phones while driving, and they are currently looking into solutions such as long-range cameras, and helmet cameras being worn by police on motorbikes.
They hope that machine learning systems could be taught to recognise mobile phones and other devices being used, and could then capture images of drivers using them while behind the wheel. This would then be linked to an automated number plate recognition system so they could track down the guilty motorist.
Camera trial reveals the extent of mobile use
A high definition camera placed on Sydney Harbour Bridge to capture images of motorists using mobile phones while driving ended up spotting someone committing the offence every 30 seconds, showing just how often this particular law is being broken.
The camera was in action on the 12th of December 2017 between the hours of 8 am and 2 pm, and during this time it snapped 743 motorists using their phone, which equates to 4% of all drivers.
This issue is at the forefront of the New South Wales police force’s agenda as 29 people died on their roads during the festive period last year which was almost twice as many as the year before. Using a mobile phone is becoming one of the most common reasons for people to be involved in a crash as it is a leading cause of driver distraction.
To really enforce how dangerous this activity is, Bernard Carlon who is the Executive Director at the Centre for Road Safety said that those who have a mobile phone offence are twice as likely to be killed or injured in a car crash. This doesn’t always match up with other data as many collisions involving mobile phones are unreported due to a lack of evidence.
Laws around using a mobile phone while driving
In the UK is it against the law to use your mobile phone, or another handheld device, while behind the wheel unless you are pulled over safely with the engine off, or are in an emergency situation when you need to call 999 and pulling over is not an option.
This means that it is illegal to use your mobile phone when stuck in traffic or waiting at traffic lights, and this can sometimes apply to hands-free devices too. In addition to this, devices such as sat navs and mobile phones which are attached to the windscreen should not obscure the area swept by your windscreen wipers. Turning the volume down on your mobile phone if its linked to the car audio system, or adjusting Google Maps on your phone while driving is also regarded as illegal.
Breaking these laws could land you with a £200 fine and 6 points on your driving license, so we suggest always keeping your phone out of reach if you find it difficult to avoid the temptation to check it when you are driving.
At the moment, using a handsfree kit connected to your mobile phone is legal, but if you then use your mobile phone in the process of using your handsfree kit, (such as turning off a call), this is illegal. It is this type of grey area which makes mobile phone use while driving one of the most contentious issues of the moment because many people don’t actually know what is and isn’t allowed.
Do you fully understand what is and isn’t allowed with mobile phone use while driving? Do you think that the introduction of AI technology will deter people from using their phones while driving? Let us know in the comments below.
so its ok for the police to do it then like speeding using the phone drinking etc watch them coming out of there club you see what i mean
No excuse to be using Mobile phone at wheel
Many modern cars have voice recognition for using in built media devices
The roads are busier than ever so would it not be common sense to concentrate on the road and your driving !
All the technology will deter the driver from using mobiles but why not state the penalty before the crime is committed and make “it” the deterant , i.e. if caught using mobile 6 points + £1000 fine – who would risk it then ??
I’ve got to agree with your thinking there ,but I would go further ,how about this as a deterrent confiscate the phone !!
The only way you will stop people using there mobile phone is a 12 month ban.
The kind of idiot i saw in his white Peugeot Cabriolet wandering over the road @70+ mph leaving the M5 Southbound at Gloucester and joining a dual carriageway towards Birdlip hill, who when I drew alongside him, had his mobile propped up on the steering wheel , staring fixedly at the screen and texting with both hands, that’s who. I can’t get my head round this kind of reckless irresponsibility. In the States the offence is actually called Reckless endangerment which is exactly what it is. I welcome ANY measures to stop these prats.
All responsible drivers should applaud any initiative such as this. Whilst it doesn’t sound as though the camera can yet pick out an image at night, at least it’s a step forward.
While phones do have many useful benefits, they are an absolute obsession with the vast majority of users, they literally have to do most jobs one handed because they just can’t put thier phones down, if we had such obsessive behavior in any other field, we would be expected to have counselling, I believe it’s such a big money spinner, nothing will ever be done, and no amount of fine’s will deter people from using them whilst driving !!!
I am all for prosecuting people using their phone while driving/in control of their car. Does this also apply to hands free phones that ar installed in a car? Mine is blue toothed to the car and the on/off and volume control are on the steering wheel.
Using a phone while driving definitely takes away a big part of concentrating the road but hands-free also is a problem I use it a lot and I do feel a big lack of concentration when I’m on the Bluetooth the problem is this is life today and it is very hard to ban the use of mobile phones while driving, the roads in London were made smaller from two lanes they made it into one lane you sit in traffic for hours and that causes the driver to use the mobile phone much more when sitting in traffic
I agree Henry I’ve a hands free kit in my car but refuse to use it in town or when the motorway is exceptionally busy as I find it to distracting trying to hold a conversation with someone and concentrate on what is going on around me …. As for those who say it’s no worse than talking to a passenger trust me it is.
Talking on the phone should be an optional part of the test so people who can walk talk and you chew aren’t penalised
Well given that ignorance of the law is no defence, it would be sensible to have a law that people can actually understand!!
There are so many varying views on what constitutes legal or illegal use of a securely mounted hands free phone or device, even some police officers will have a different view.
I’ve used Bluetooth kits like Parrot for about 15 years and also Nokia phone hardwired cradle before that.
I’ve been stopped by the law for using a 2 way radio microphone in my cab even though the microphone was mounted.
After consulting another officer he let me go as use of the 2 way radio on certain frequencies is allowable providing that the driver is in full control of the vehicle.
Same legislation seems to apply for use of hands free mobile phones, with voice activation Bluetooth kits there is no need to touch the phone anyway to make/receive a call.
I also had a Satechi Bluetooth remote “Home” button mounted on my steering wheel which was handy for iPhones
The main problem is that a lot of drivers cannot give full concentration to the road and other road users whilst on a phone call, I’ve seen drivers having near misses and shunts nearly every day including parents picking up their kids from school
I do think that even Handsfree calls will be made illegal in years to come, as will manually switching on your car stereo, eating a snack etc as these all involve some drivers losing their full concentration for a few seconds, long enough to kill
They will only stop using mobile while driving when the car gets crushed.
It would not be beyond today’s technology for manufacturers to turn a vehicle into a faraday cage thus blocking all signals for mobile phones. No signal, no use of mobile device, problem solved.
This article doesn’t help to clarify the situation in terms of what is legal/illegal. One key differentiating factor is “handheld”, so once mounted in a fixed holder, what is and isn’t legal? (Please do not include what isn’t advisable, just what is legal).
The problem is no one knows, because its so vague in the law.
How can they drive and use a mobile, I have enough trouble with them walking into me in my wheelchair because they are more interested in what is on their phone rather than what is going on around them.
Can’t something be invented that you can not use the phone while the engine is running, except for 999 calls
These do exist, https://www.cellcontrol.com/ is one company that blocks mobile use in cars.
Any technological develpment in being able to identify mobile phone users whilst driving is a major necessity and should be given top prority. Much much tougher penalties and repremands need to be handed out to these abusers. Although I’m sure that any developments will in time be subject to being detected and car phone abusers given the opportunity to access it at a price.
I agree with DJ, with the amount of tech’ modern cars and phones have got you would think something positive can be done to render mobiles inoperable while the vehicle is moving. Modern phones know where you are, how fast you are travelling and the car even knows if there is only the driver in the car, if the car detects only a driver then the phone is rendered useless except for emergency calls, but then you would get the idiots who can’t do without there phones even it means putting there own life and others in danger by putting something heavy on the passenger seat to duplicate a passenger. Car and phone companies need to get together and sort this problem out, people are being killed every day because of this irresponsible behaviour.!!!!!
Confiscating and crushing their killing machine would work – Big Time.
can this technology detect whether it is the driver or passenger on the phone? from someone who recently had to take emergency action to avoid a car on the wrong side of the road as he came around a corner with only one hand on the wheel as the other was holding his phone!
I use a blue tooth ear piece, with which I can answer my phone. My phone stays in my bag so that I can’t get to it.
When all is said and done, using a mobile phone while driving could, if one was unlucky enough, be punishable by death, or serious maiming!
So I am crawling along in a jam and using the phone, so how ‘dangerous is that??????????
My car even brakes for me in this situation!
Parked in a layby using the phone but engine still running, how can that be dangerous?
Who has ever been injured/killed by a stationary car?
People really need to get a grip and stop supporting government/police in making driving as unpleasant as possible.
Tackle real intelligent road safety first and stop seeing drivers as easy ‘cash-points’.
What worries me is the wider issue of this technology and what other uses it could be put to. How long before some government tries to convince us that they need to install similar equipment in town centres that can “tap” into phone networks.
They will tell us that it is necessary to protect us from the bogey men and after all, if we have nothing to hide, we would nothing to fear. Right?
I agree you shouldn’t use your mobile phone but this country and its laws are stupid why does this government go mad about this use of mobiles or eating an apple when driving yet it’s ok to smoke and drive which I think should be banned too. I see many people reaching for their box of cigarettes get a fag out whilst driving, then juggle to lighten it with an open flame then they blow out a big cloud of smoke in front of their eyes and yet nothing said about that and most of the time when smoking they haven’t got both hand’s on the wheel and finally when they finished throw the still lite bud out the window when driving which could blow back into the car cause more mayhem or if driving in a the country side with the possibility of cause a fire. Lol ain’t it all mad !!!
Are we breaking the law for using our built-in radio/cd player whilst driving ? Does this mean that we have to pull over turn our engines off before we change the channel or cd. There are many buttons to press change and whatever we need to do in a car ie fog lights heating buttons or knobs etc so realisty we are all doing something distracting in our Vechicles every day.
on the issue of handheld devices,i wonder where the users of electronic cigarettes would stand
I have an apple watch which connects to my iPhone by Bluetooth. Am I allied to use this while driving?
Take away the license
I use Android Auto to connect my phone to the car. Calls appear on the car’s display and I have to press an on screen button to answer a phone call. That isn’t hands free, so it must be illegal. Unless someone knows otherwise.
I have started watching other drivers in slow moving traffic & a lot of them are not looking where they are going as their eyes are focused towards their laps – who are they trying to fool??