Each modification of the highway code follows debate and, for someone, also the search for how cleverly to be able to circumvent the rules. Remember the famous shirts with the safety belt printed when the obligation to wear them was introduced? Here we are not at this point, but almost. The narrow, in fact, on the use of the mobile phone at the guide is unleashing the production of ideas and devices on how to continue to pretend nothing. Too bad that in this case the danger is not only for itself, but also for others.
So here is that technological innovation for road safety enters the field where human intelligence does not arrive. And a recent example comes from Agliana, in the province of Pistoia, where the municipal administration has installed an advanced camera with IA, capable of detecting those who use the smartphone driving (and also does not wear the seat belt). The device, called “Mobile Phone & Seat Belt Detection”, promises to improve control over who’s driving, but also opening a new front on the crucial question of respect for privacy.
How the intelligent camera works
The system uses a very high resolution lens to capture images and short videos of the moving cars. The technology is able to operate both day and night, thanks to a strategic positioning in raised points of the road: the device can thus analyze the images in real time through artificial intelligence algorithms, automatically reporting the transgressors to the competent authorities. Particular precisely that opens the debate on the protection of citizens’ personal data.
The use of cameras equipped with artificial intelligence for the control of motorists raises a series of questions of ethical and legal nature. The first problem concerns the collection and management of images: who guarantees that the acquired data is not used for purposes other than the simple detection of the infringements? In addition, it is essential to clearly establish those who have access to the collected data and how long they are stored. Another delicate question is that of pervasive surveillance: if road control becomes capillary, there is the risk of creating a precedent for the massive use of intelligent cameras in other contexts, gradually limiting individual freedom.
Privacy, problems and solutions
To ensure compliance with privacy, the use of these systems should in short be regulated by clear and transparent regulations. The authorities must ensure that the collection of data takes place in compliance with personal data protection laws, such as the GDPR, and that citizens are adequately informed about the functioning of these technologies. A compromise is studied, which could be the adoption of systems that anonymize the data collected, using it exclusively for reporting the infringement, without storing personal information outside of administrative needs.
In short, the challenge is to find a balance between safety and protection of individual rights, preventing technological innovation from being transformed into an invasive form of surveillance, which then turns into a kind of Big Brother.
If we were able to concentrate the brain more on the guide than on our personal device, then the problem would already be solved at the origin. After all, the system is as simple as possible: recall or reply to messages once the car is firm. Is it so difficult?