The debate between safety and privacy is heating up as the North Carolina Highway Patrol introduces the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to crackdown on distracted truck drivers. With a simple snapshot, state troopers are on the lookout for any truckers with one hand glued to their phone instead of the wheel, but the controversy surrounding this high-tech surveillance tactic is far from settled.
“They know what the rules are. They know what the regulations say. Ones that are rolling the dice and not putting their phones down and not looking at the road are really putting themselves in danger by doing this,” N.C. Highway Patrol Sargent Chris Knox reportedly said.
In North Carolina, commercial truck drivers are prohibited from using cell phones while driving, and law enforcement now has a powerful tool to catch offenders.
Acucensus is a cutting-edge system installed along I-40 that uses high-tech cameras to snap photos inside the cabs of passing trucks. These cameras not only capture still images, but also take pictures of the truck’s license plate.
AI software then analyzes these images, specifically looking for truckers who are using their phones or engaging with electronic devices while on the road. When a distracted trucker is identified, troopers are immediately alerted, prompting them to pull over the offending driver. Interestingly, the company responsible for Acucensus can even provide a “countdown” to when the trucker will pass a highway patrol officer.
While some may argue that this AI surveillance is biased against truckers, law enforcement officials point to the state laws. Any form of cellphone use by truck drivers, even just taking their hand off the wheel, is considered an infraction. In contrast, only texting while driving is an offense for passenger vehicle operators in North Carolina. Due to the still images not being able to clearly identify active texting, the technology can only be effectively used against truck drivers.
Currently, Acucensus is a limited enforcement tool, but the future promises even more advanced capabilities. With machine learning technology evolving rapidly, some speculate that troopers may no longer need to pull over truckers to issue tickets. Instead, truckers could find themselves receiving distracted driving tickets through the mail or via email.
As the freight transportation industry continues to embrace new technology, it’s clear that the days of overlooking distracted truck drivers are numbered. Acucensus is just the beginning of a more efficient and effective enforcement system.
Source: TheTruckersReport
