In a move that veers into Big Brother territory, a newly implemented AI camera system tagged as “pioneering” technology by proponents, has caught nearly 300 drivers neglecting their seatbelts or using their phones in just three days. This technological marvel, installed along one of Devon and Cornwall’s busiest roads, has sparked concerns over free speech and potential overreach of surveillance. Especially now that actions taking place inside of vehicles are being surveilled.
Drawing on data from the Department of Transport’s Road Casualty Report, a staggering 24 percent of fatalities were passengers not wearing a seatbelt. Between June 2021 and June 2022, 29,804 people were tragically killed or grievously injured on British roads.
The inferred “solution,” a high-tech AI camera, scrutinizes the comings and goings of daily road users in what has become a controversial precursor to road safety.
Bear in mind, every image captured by the AI lens is examined by humans before being used for conviction purposes. But does this “pioneering” technology plunge too deep into the privacy of citizens in the name of “safety?”After all, it’s not just Devon and Cornwall’s roads coming under digital scrutiny. Rumor has it, motoring organizations and councils nationwide are eyeing similar strategies to tighten the noose on road safety.
We ask, in an era where technology runs amok and permeates all facets of daily life, where do we draw the line? That is a question every liberty-loving individual should ponder as we hurtle deeper into this new age, swathed in AI’s neon glow.
