[RahulNagaraj]

Speedcam Anywhere - is a new smartphone app that allows users to record a video of passing vehicles suspected of going over the speed limit. The app also comes with a software that reads the vehicle's registration plate and uses the DVLA data to determine its make and model. Further, the footage can be saved by the user and can be used to generate the report.



The idea of the app is that users record such incidents of over-speeding and pass on the information to relevant authorities. However, the Home Office in the UK has not approved the app as a certified speed detection device and hence it cannot be used to penalise drivers.

The Speedcam Anywhere app is said to have been developed by a team of artificial intelligence scientists. However, reports state that the actual identities of the creators are being kept a secret, as the mobile application has created quite a few controversies in the public, with claims that the creators have even received abusive emails.

The app is currently available on the Play Store for Android devices in the UK. Reports suggest that it could be launched in the USA as well.

Source: Auto Express

Link to Team-BHP news

[alpha1]

So the artificial intelligence is used to detect the speed of the suspected vehicle?
What will the relevant authorities do with this info? Launch their separate investigation (and how if they are not present at site) or simply take action based on the trust on the citizen militia capturing the video?

[giri1.8]

Looks like mass surveillance using people's own device is going to be the next thing.

As they say, road to hell is paved with good intentions.

[Sran]

Dystopian. If it continues then the day isn't far when social credit will become a reality. Correct reporting will increase their points and more reports against the individual will restrict their movement. Citizens policing citizens, sounds like communism.

[v12]

Wonder how many accidents are waiting to happen when drivers are focussing their entire concentration on recording a video while driving.

Imagine someone recording a video of someone doing 300kmph and still keeping up with him 😂

[DicKy]

Really???

Can imagine the sort of pesky people who would be glad to use it.

Can already expect videos on YouTube from the vigilante cyclists using the app in London.

[Dry Ice]

It’s not yet available on the Apple app store and Google had initially refused to allow it on the Play store. They had doubts about the tech and apparently allowed it after some practical demonstrations by the app developers.

This report from The Guardian has more details.

So how are they calculating the speed of a vehicle on the basis of a simple video? My guess based on the information in the article above.

1. Identify the vehicle number and fetch the make/model info from the UK DVLA API https://developer-portal.driver-vehi...scription.html

2. With the make and model info, fetch the specifications (wheelbase) from a service like https://www.jato.com/solutions/jato-webapi/

3. Calculate the speed based on how much time the vehicle takes to cover its own wheelbase.

As a purely academic exercise would be interesting to test this out on a vehicle which doesn’t have a reg number. Maybe that’s where the AI comes in to “identify” the vehicle.

[ajmat]

First - in the UK - any device which is used for collecting data for prosecution needs to be regularly checked and calibrated. There have been folks who have got away with speeding fines by actually challenging the authorities about the calibrated records. (Most UK Folks will not do this).

Second - The GPS - how do you ensure it is accurate, you could measure a car at a 50MPH limit and claim it is speeding in a 30MPH limit and few hundred metres down the road.

Am sure there are plenty of holes in this app to prevent it from being legally binding. Also the reliability of the witness, ability of the witness to come to court and testify if the offender challenges this. Then the armchair vigilante will back down.

At the most, this could be used as a means to inform police about a high incidence of speeding to be investigated.

[Turbohead]

An app for Karens developed by Karens.

This app doesn't make much sense. If driver A is going to record the video of car B, then driver A would be more liable to cause an accident that driver B. Speeding is far safer than driving in a distracted state.

[Sarath_]

If you have a fine and the government gives you the option of either paying up or catching someone else to either reduce yours or with enough reports completely cancel your fine then this will be interesting.

Imagine if everyone were trying to enforce traffic rules for a quick buck.

Dystopian. Yes.

Fun. Yes.



It's like Pokemon Go but for cars. You have to catch speeding cars. Even if you don't have any real world benefits, its a free dopamine hit.

[avira_tk]

Perfect app for a country where people were doxing their neighbors for not clapping for the NHS. I'm sure they'll have plenty of cooperative citizens turning on each other.

[Tucker48]

If I'm driving at 50mph in one direction and another driver is also driving at 50mph in the opposite direction. And if someone in my car uses the app to measure the speed of the other car then it will show 100mph assuming the app works correctly. Or the app might use GPS to measure our speed and deduct that from the final number.

I have serious doubts if the app can give accurate results while on the move.

[BlackPearl]

The speed limit where we live here in the UK is 20 mph, but I regularly see vehicles driving at breakneck speed. It is a narrow lane and feels scary specially with cars parked on both sides of the lane. I would definitely want to report these people if it is possible. Another thing I would really like to report is people using mobile phones while driving, texting with their heads down and glancing once in a while to check traffic!

[shancz]

This won't find much relevance and seems like an experiment at best. I am surprised this hasn't been called out as illegal.

Why can't they just launch a portal where folks with dashcams can send them the footage which also captures their speed and the cops can make a visual judgement based on the video ?
Wait hasn't twitter / social media become a platform for this already ?

But the judgement won't work in the eyes of the law IMO.
The speeding has to be proven in real world where the radar gun, in the hands of an officer who is not just responsible but also accountable for the action, captures the vehicle using technology which has been legally accepted.

On a lighter note why don't they just make an early shift to self driving cars which will anyway avoid this issue altogether

[Dry Ice]

On a lighter note, does the UK really need more speed cameras?