CCTV scheme to catch distracted drivers

Microbus M-PC2 vehicle-based computers are at the heart of a new CCTV car initiative being piloted by Greater Manchester Police.
Smart cars, which have a 12ft (3.6m) mast with a camera attached, are parked at junctions to monitor traffic and catch drivers using their mobile phones or being otherwise distracted at the wheel. Anyone seen driving while distracted is filmed by the cameras and later, a letter is sent to the owner of the car, in many cases along with a fine. The scheme is part of Greater Manchester’s Casualty Reduction Partnership.
Developed by Traffic Enforcement Systems (TES) Ltd, the cars currently being piloted in Greater Manchester are among the first of their kind in the UK. The operational performance of the solution relies on the Microbus M-PC2 vehicle-based computer connected to a roof-mounted, low-light zoom camera which is fitted with a polarising filter to help cut through windscreen glare.
Camera control and recording is controlled easily through the computer’s OptiVue™ touchscreen which is mounted neatly into the dashboard. The M-PC2’s integrated digital video recorder (iDVR) records primary evidential footage with timestamps which can be saved onto USB drives. Secondary backup footage for the entire shift is downloaded onto DVD.
Clive Paul, managing director of TES, said: “In developing the solution, we had tried various digital video recorders that are on the market as well as other best-of-breed products, but chose the Microbus M-PC2. With the Microbus M-PC2 we found that elusive product. It not only satisfied our immediate needs, but it’s also a product that can grow with our ambitions, and dare we say it, be future proof.”
If the scheme is a success in reducing the number of accidents, TES Ltd hopes it could be rolled out across the UK and possibly provide other police forces with additional ANPR facilities.