Now a camera to check multiple traffic violations

LONDON - Motorists in Europe would find it hard to escape penalty for violating traffic rules. A new camera will detect not just speed but it can also peep inside to check if the driver wears seat belt or talks on mobile phones.

Apart from detecting speeding, the lates weapon in speed camera technology is packed with gizmos that also check number plates to make sure insurance and tax are up to date.

It also measures the distance between vehicles to spot tailgating and takes pictures of the inside of the car - to make sure you are wearing a seat belt, the Daily Mail reported.

It is the first to detect multiple offences at the same time and is connected to police computers via satellite, so that prosecutions can be started within seconds of any offence.

The system, known as Asset (Advanced Safety and Driver Support for Essential Road Transport) is is undergoing testing in Finland and is expected to be deployed across Europe from 2013, with each unit costing 50,000 pounds.

The Asset test project is running until December 2011 with the aim of improving traffic safety.

The “Big Brother”-style set-up takes various pictures before filing details back to a central database via a GPS system. The equipment automatically destroys images over a month old and those in which no traffic violation is evident.

The Asset camera is being tested by the VTT Technical Research Centre in Finland.

Matti Kutila, senior research scientist at VTT, said: “The main intention is to support traffic police so that drivers follow traffic rules such as wearing seat belts, keep to the speed limit and maintain sufficient distance to the vehicle in front.”