New system catches speeders without radar or lasers

Road-racers looking to avoid radar traps, beware — your days are numbered. Researchers at the University of Florida have developed software that allows ordinary video cameras to determine a vehicle's speed by recording its progress past fixed objects. The system — developed using a $5 million grant from the U.S. Air Force — is similar to those already in use in the U.K. and Australia. Because such systems don't use lasers or other active technology, they can't be foiled by radar detectors.

[mehool @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

dammit, now my ferrari is useless!...i wish. well atleast they're not still talking about GPS speed tracking in vehicles (like that one rental car company did to its poor customers)

[todd @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Someone please develope a cloaking device.

[olderty @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I like how the google ads on the page here still want to sell you a radar detector.

[narco @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

How long until the ACLU get involved?

Fishes,
narco.

[kj @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Jeeez. We have had this for at least the last 4/5 years in UK. All over the bloody place.

[Brian @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

now to invent an invisible car.... or drive faster than their cameras can pick me up... or... ah hell there is no easy way around this.

on the flipside, they should develop automated speed traps. attach the system to photograph the speeders plates.

[James Scott @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Canada has had this "technology" for well over 10 years now. It would figure out your speed (even works on thins like onramps where you're going around a corner) then read your license plate and then mail you a ticket.

This is real old technology. I hope they dont think they are revolutionizing anything.

And yes there is mobile versions where they can setup a camera and tripod on a strech of road and use that to do it too.

It was used a lot here in Canada for a while. It was a huge pain in the ass. First you get nailed for being 10km/h but after a while they turned it down to like 5km/h over. We would have had a revolution if that kept up.

[Adam @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Hi my name is Bob Walters and I represent the ACLU. It has been brought to my attention that...

[Phil @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Remember that old Volkswagen beetle covered with lights that's been in a few commercials and whatnot? If one had a car like that, and set up the lights to strobe back-to-front at a speed just a bit over the difference between the vehicle's current speed and the posted speed limit, it should, in theory, appear to such cameras to be traveling at a legal velocity. Just a theory.

And of course you wouldn't look at all like a dork driving around in something like that, nope.

[Scott @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

So... Blame Canada?

[B @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

There's still only one sure-fire way to get out of a ticket, as proved by mythbusters: short skirts and crying

[IANAL @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

California has a law specifically prohibiting the use of clocking speeders by time through a measured distance. It's a speed trap plain and simple and is no better a deterrent than a red light camera. The implications are the same and I'm sure many counties and cities aren't looking to prevent any accidents. They're only interested in the revenue these services generate.

North Carolina has a law that requires 90% of the fines collected by the red light cams go to education. Guess what, that $$$ never got there and now the companies maintaining the cams (Non-Law enforcement companies, but that's another complaint on its own...) say they can't provide the service on only 10% of the citation's revenues. The solution that has been suggested is to simply generate more tickets. It's pure B.S.!

[diableri @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Give it a year or two in the states and there'll be a paint developed that will confuse the camera.

[threesquare @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

heh so what they can catch you. the only way to identify you is by the plate.
there's are plastic cover plate that block the number from been photograph. and even spray can that can coat the plate with a protective layer against being photograph.

[scott @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

in california this would be illegal, as i believe there is a "no speed trap" law. this is basically a speed trap and therefore against the law. the CHP also used to not be able to use radar or laser.

[Marc @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

To all the foreigners commenting how they've had this technology for many years:

Perhaphs you didn't get the memo, but the U.S. is no longer a technology leader (and hasn't been for many years). So, to us, this is high tech! Hell, we're just now getting cell phones with reasonable data transfer speeds. Give it ten more years and this place will become a full fledged banana republic.

[EdZ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Damn GATSO cameras. They sneak up on you (unless you load your GPS with the camera loactions, that is).

[James Scott @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Re 13
They will send a cruiser after you if you did that. Just like if you blew thru an automated toll booth with a cover over your plate.

[JP @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

All it takes is a few 18 wheelers to swerve and take out the cameras/marking devices.

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

What? Free video cameras alongside the street?

[zedcaster @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

So if the UK and Australia both have this system, why would the US Air Force spend $5 million to develop another one?

Also just to clairify, Canada's speed cameras are called photoradar because they use RADAR, and can be detected. The driver behind the offender will get a blip on his detector.

[aprodite @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

If any Gadget Lovers are interested, I use a nifty little unit called "Road Angel" http://www.blackspot.com.

It's a GPS unit with a difference, it has a onboard database (updateable online) of the location of Speed Camera's, and warns you when you are approaching one. It can also warn you of potentially hazardous areas. They even pay you �50 if you add a nnew camera to their database.

I am not affiliated with them in any way, just a very happy customer, I haven't had a speeding ticket in the two years since I got it, and considering I got 3 in the 2 months just before I bought it, I'm very happy.

[fuzzer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

They had a similar setup in Wisconsin in about 1996. Until, that is, it was deemed unconstitutional for an officer to give you a ticket for speeding via camera. The equipment was removed.

[default @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Similar to #18, Pocketgpsworld.com maintains a Speed Camera Database for the U.K., containing waypoints to be added to various GPS navigation devices. Set your GPS to give warnings when nearing a listed camera. A similar database could also be created for the U.S. - http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/uksafetycameras.php

[Jason @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I think they have been doing this for years in Pennsylvania. What do you think those what marks are on the road? They measure you from point a to point B. Basically the same thing.

- a line
+ a video camera
+ $5000000 grant

[jawnpaw @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Why do pigs get to speed and make illegal u-turns and stay in the carpool lane and break laws daily? Pigs always abuse their authority. I wish there was someone that can police the police.

[aaron @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Wow! Oh well, my car is already impounded for racing :x

[hafa @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

all that troubles

i believe you guys are intelligent enough to read Numbers

why can't you all just follow the damn speed limit ?

[sine~language @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Here in Australia, we have this 'technology' built in to red-light cameras, so don't think you can get away with racing the amber light anymore. Quite dangerous actually, as you see the amber light, look at your dash to judge your speed, then decide whether you have room to accelerate or slam on the brakes. We also have the same 'technology' built into all new police cars (afaik), so you only have to be speeding whilst driving past a cop, and you have yourself a ticket.
Kinda sucks, but I'm still yet to get a ticket from the new cameras (dammit, no wood nearby to touch).

[Barry @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

"why can't you all just follow the damn speed limit?"

Simply because I don't want to. And that's a good enough reason.

I believe automated speed detectors that take photographs and then issue tickets are likely to be unconstitutional in the U.S. as each person accused of a crime has the right to face his accuser. One can't be accused by an inanimate object.

[Andrew @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Number 7 - Your referring to Photo Radar, which had a huge public backlash in most parts of Canada and was scrapped in some places. It wasn't anything like this.

I remmeber one story of a guy mailing a photo of his cheque to the police for his ticket, not amused they responded by mailing him a picture of handcuffs. He promptly paid.

[Arpad @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I'm glad I just bought my Drive Smart... The first GPS radar database with free updates and support for countries other than the UK (I currently live in Germany, but it supports most EU countries with more planned for the future). Hopefully, by the time I move back to the states they will have the locations of the cameras in the US as well.

Actually, hopefully there won't be any cameras for some miraculous reason... I'm not holding my breath, though.

http://www.radardetectors.co.uk/drive_smart.htm

[Jammer Tests @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Gatso cameras are not the same as this passive technology folks. I've seen some people saying this is 10 year old technology...FALSE! The new technology doesn't use radar or laser of any kind. If you guys want to see some radar jammer tests I have videos of them. You can watch them for free.

[gwen roberts @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Seriously though - whatever the technology introduced whether speeding or a range of law enforcement issues - someone always comes up with a solution or 'dodge' - probably being worked on now!