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Road safety 2.0: Technology becomes a weapon against distraction

Keep your eyes on the road—not your smartphone. It sounds obvious, but for many drivers it's a problem. And that's precisely why the German Road Safety Council (DVR) now wants to take action—with modern artificial intelligence. At the Traffic Court Conference in Goslar, nothing less than the future of road safety is being discussed. And that future is clearly digital.

In focus: so-called monocams—AI cameras that can detect from a distance whether someone behind the wheel is looking at their cell phone. Initial tests have already been conducted in Rhineland-Palatinate—with success. Now the DVR is calling for widespread use throughout Germany.

AI detects cell phone offenders—before anything happens

The idea sounds like science fiction, but it is deadly serious: cameras on road bridges or traffic lights will in future automatically detect whether a driver is violating the ban on cell phone use. The data could even be processed before a clear violation of the rules has occurred—at least according to a controversial idea from Saxony, where the police law is to be amended.

Drones, cameras, surveillance without specific cause? Data protection advocates are likely to take notice here. But the DVR counters that conventional police checks are too costly and too many violations go undetected. It is not about surveillance for its own sake, but about saving lives through prevention.

Alcohol, infotainment, training—the comprehensive safety package

But it doesn't stop at cell phone monitoring. The DVR is putting a whole package of measures on the table:

• Alcohol limit for cyclists: An offense will be committed at a blood alcohol level of 1.1—previously, the limit was 1.6.
• Zero tolerance behind the wheel: The Council calls for a complete ban on alcohol for drivers.
• Infotainment systems: The industry should provide technology that is easier to use in order to avoid distractions in the car.
• Modernizing driver's licenses: Driving simulators, online lessons, and a standardized curriculum are intended to improve training and make it more affordable.

One point stands out in particular: the requirement to consistently secure and analyze smartphones in the event of accidents if there is suspicion that the cell phone distracted the driver from the road. This should also become part of driver's education—in other words, making it clear early on what a quick glance at the display can cost.

Is all this reasonable?

One wonders: how much surveillance should security cost? Yes, cell phones at the wheel are a huge problem. But when you are recognized and registered by an AI camera just by looking at the display, without any concrete danger, the boundaries between protection and control become blurred. Technology as an aid? Sure. Technology as a round-the-clock watchdog? Questionable. There is often only a fine line between prevention and panopticon. If you want road safety, you not only have to set rules—you also have to declare freedoms.

Source: heise.de