The next generation of speed cameras should be able to monitor several files and vehicles at the same time and get sharper images. Going forward, AI technology that can find wheel surfers is expected.
There are 2,400 speed cameras (ATK) in Sweden and starting next year they will be upgraded to a new and more efficient version called Argus IV. The new camera has increased capacity and can therefore be placed in more traffic environments.
The Argus IV from Swedish Sensys Gatso Sweden in Jönköping has a more advanced radar and a higher resolution camera than previous versions, ViBilägare was the first to report.
The radar can start measuring a vehicle at a distance of 150 meters and makes 21 measurements per second. Thanks to the radar’s ability to monitor several files at the same time, the cameras can be placed in more places than before. The radar also becomes more directional, which means that the camera is not triggered by trains passing next to the road.
– Since you can measure the angle of the vehicles you are measuring, you can point out exactly which vehicle the radar has registered in the image and also block sections of the road, or on the side of the road, where you don’t want any measurement at all, says Erik Hemgren, development manager for ViB.
A more high-resolution camera part makes it possible to identify drivers even if the image section is wide to include all files.
– Until now, they have mainly been placed along rural roads. Now they can also be placed on urban roads, says Eva Lundberg, national coordinator for ATK, Automatic Traffic Safety Control, at the Swedish Transport Agency.
The camera cabinets are being redesigned so that they are better protected against theft (last year 150 cameras were stolen) and can be mounted in portals over the roads.
During three years, the number of speed cameras must be increased by between 200 and 250 per year. Where the new cameras will be placed has not yet been decided, but the technology opens up the possibility of placing cameras in more places, for example at wide intersections.
The cost of a camera is approximately SEK 750,000 including installation and connection. This means that the cameras are only set up where at least three thousand vehicles pass by per day. Guiding the location choices is an analysis based on where the camera can have the greatest positive effect for traffic safety.
Replacing all existing cameras is estimated to take six years.
Although the new speed cameras are more effective the Swedish Transport Administration does not expect more drivers to be fined. The bottleneck is the investigative capacity of the police in Kiruna.
In the future, smart software with AI technology can help analyze the images. Then it may be possible to let a computer identify images of people who are wheel surfing. It is already happening in several other countries. However, this means that all cars must be photographed.
