By Steven Symes 
There’s been a lot of talk lately about traffic enforcement cameras which do more than measure vehicle speed. A new one that’s bristling with sensors has been rolled out by American company Verra Mobility in Australia, and it’s likely going to be used stateside soon enough.
Authorities crush a Hellcat to make a point.
For now, the next-gen camera arrays are being used on trailers in Victoria as some sort of soft trial run. They’re not busting drivers, yet, but as Australian car site Drive reports, that could change soon.
These camera arrays are the next level beyond the speed, red light, and AI cameras which bust distracted drivers. They do all of that, plus check for the proper wearing of seatbelts and scan license plates all while you just drive by.
One could argue, as groups like the ACLU have recently, these cameras constitute mass surveillance of the population. After all, they’re recording faces and more, peering inside cars as they pass.
But Verra Mobility, which is based in Mesa, Arizona, of course makes a big deal about how all that sensitive data it gathers is safe. When Drive reached out to ask about data privacy, the American company said that information is “being shared solely with” authorities in Victoria.
That’s great, but “shared” means the authorities aren’t the only ones who have the data. Obviously, Verra Mobility does as well. Why does it and other private companies like Flock and Axon get to keep such data on their private servers with a pinky promise they won’t share it with anyone else?
Verra Mobility likes to say “speed cameras save lives” but at what cost? After all, locking everyone inside their homes saves lives because it avoids car crashes, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.
If recent trends are any indication, these technologies are first trialed in Australia, like the AI cameras, then they start appearing in different parts of the US before coming into wider adoption. In other words, these new Big Brother cameras are likely coming to your city, unless people start pushing back.
Or maybe you like mass surveillance and safety at any price?
Image via Verra Mobility/Facebook