What You Should Know About The New Mobile Detection Cameras Being Tested In The UK 2025

The Vision South West Road Safety partnership is sponsoring this roll-out in the two counties till December. The Cornwall and Devon Police will oversee the process intended to prevent road accidents due to the negligence of distracted drivers.

The system is called the “Acusensus System” that’s placed in a vehicle on the road. The vehicle and the system are equipped with multiple cameras to record the footage of cars passing by. The images are captured using AI technology.

So, if you’re using a handheld smartphone and not wearing a seat belt, it’ll click and store your image in the database. It can also determine the speed at which your car was travelling at the time. Any image that’s captured by the camera is then reviewed by human personnel to determine if an offence has been committed. When your offence is identified, you’ll be sent a warning letter and a notice of intended prosecution, depending upon the severity of your offence.

Here’s what you need to know about the device:

Why Is It Being Implemented?

One of the main reasons these mobile detection cameras are being tested is strategic policing for the betterment of the community. This technology sends a clear message that motorists who flout the laws of the country will be charged if they disregard community safety rules.

It’s unsafe and illegal to use a mobile phone while driving. It can cause a distraction to the driver, which can result in serious accidents. However, despite the changes in the law and frequent messages to educate people that using mobile phones as you drive is illegal, some people continue to use phones as they drive.

The deployment of the mobile detection device aims to aptly address this issue and make the community safer for everyone. It sends the message that if anyone tries to ignore the rules while driving, they will be caught and penalized for it.

Once caught, a person will be given six penalty points and a hefty fine. And in the worst cases, the authorities will cancel their licence.

So if you need to set the directions for your destination when driving, do so when you’re parked or stationary. Also, try receiving calls on Bluetooth instead of reaching for your phone. If you wish to use your phone to check a notification from a customer or check a text message, it’s best to stop and then use your phone.  

Can We Still Use Mobile Phones For Navigation As PCO Drivers?

The main concern for PCO drivers and drivers, in general, is using navigation and communicating while driving. However, according to recent laws, physically handling a mobile phone while driving is illegal.

But you can make or receive calls only if the phone is secured in your vehicle or can be operated without touching, like Bluetooth or voice controls. You can also put on music or use the audio functions of your phone as long as you don’t physically handle it while driving.

You can use a driver’s aid like a speed adviser application, dispatch systems, or navigation if you’ve secured your phone in a cradle. Also, if you carry a digital licence, you can use your phone to pull it out only after a police officer has asked you to do so. If you need to make an account transaction or show a coupon/voucher, your vehicle needs to be parked off the road or completely stationary.

All other functions of the phone, like texting, using social media, photography, web browsing, etc., are illegal while driving.

What You Can Expect From The Process

The new mobile detection system has an infrared flash and several cameras to take quality pictures of the traffic regardless of the weather. The AI reviews the pictures and scans them. After that, it separates the offending drivers and non-offending drivers. The AI will reject the non-offensive driver images and permanently delete them within an hour from when they were captured. Images that show the offence are transferred for review to trained personnel.

The program ensures that only the minimum data is stored and retained to detect the offences. When an image is captured, it’s pixelated and cropped to protect the person’s privacy. And then they’re sent for a physical review. If you receive a notice of the offence and don’t think that you were part of the offence as stated in the mail, you can apply for a review and resolve the matter in court.

These notices will be sent out within the week of the offence being committed. Just as a person shows up for a red light and speed offence, the person will be issued a penalty notice.

Drive Safe As A PCO Car Driver For Hire In London

The new mobile detection program is a positive step in making the community safer and raising safety and driving standards. It’ll ensure that drivers stay vigilant during their commute and ensure safety for fellow drivers and pedestrians.

If you’re looking for electric and hybrid vehicles as PCO cars for rent, check us out at G&M Direct Hire. We provide quality PCO cars for rent in Whitechapel, Croydon, Stratford, Wandsworth, etc. All of our cars are company maintained, so you won’t have to worry about doing weekly maintainenace by yourself. We recommend renting our electric vehicles as you won’t have to pay the congestion charges. Get in touch with us now to learn more about our services.