How does a speed camera work?

Secrets of traffic cameras: at what distance to brake to avoid a fine

Our readers often ask the question about the distance at which cameras recording traffic violations begin to drive a car, and about the maximum speed that all-seeing eyes can detect. We answer.

APK "AvtoUragan-VSM2" from the company "Recognition Technologies" is a multifunctional photo and video recording system capable of detecting 17 different violations of traffic rules. Among them are: driving through an intersection when there is a prohibiting traffic light, going beyond the stop line at an intersection when the traffic light is prohibiting, driving through a railway crossing when the traffic light is prohibiting, under a prohibiting sign, along tram tracks in the opposite direction, along bicycle paths, pedestrian paths and sidewalks, on the side of the oncoming lane. But the first point is to record speeding.

To overtake the AutoHurricane you will have to be very fast - according to the official specifications, the system catches everything that moves up to 255 km/h while simultaneously processing 4 lanes of traffic. Information about the distance at which the complex begins to record driving sins is not provided.

The new generation photo and video recording complex “Avtodoriya” from the company of the same name is an extremely unpleasant contraption for violators and has an excellent “appetite”. It can punish for speeding, driving in the public transport lane or on the side of the road, violations of parking and stopping rules, driving through a prohibitory traffic light, driving beyond the stop line and other sins.

In addition, Avtodoriya is trained to measure the average speed over a section from 250 meters to 10 kilometers, although there is actually no limit value. The company told us that the all-seeing eye begins to guide a car moving at speeds of up to 300 km/h at a distance of about 100 meters. To outwit Avtodoriya you will have to buy a Koenigsegg or Bugatti.

But * “Odyssey” from TCBODD LLC (“Technical Center for Road Safety”) remained a mystery: with a radar speed meter, it catches vehicles up to 255 km/h, but the manufacturer refused to name its range of operation for obvious reasons.

In total, “Odysseus” helps to “rebuke” those who violate violations for 12 sins. For example, driving through a prohibitory traffic light, crossing a railway track outside a railway crossing, entering a railway crossing with a closed or closing barrier or with a prohibiting traffic light, entering the lane of oncoming traffic and tram tracks in the opposite direction, failure to comply with the requirements of road signs and markings.

If you received a “chain letter”, then with a high degree of probability the violation was recorded by “Strelka-ST” from the company “Systems of Advanced Technologies” - one of the most common photo and video recording systems, which, like the above-mentioned guards, is capable of not only determining the speed of movement , but also to distinguish between traffic in the oncoming lane, the side of the road, a public transport lane, record the rules for violating the passage of intersections, driving beyond the stop line, and even moving freight vehicles in prohibited places.

According to some reports, Strelka-ST does not have time to catch a car moving at a speed of over 180 km/h, but it has a kilometer range and detects a violation at a 500-meter distance.

The Simikon company previously produced KRIS-S complexes, and now produces Kordon in stationary and mobile versions. It is not only “rapid-firing” - it catches vehicles up to 300 km/h, but it also records everything in the control zone, that is, it is trained to determine the pace of movement in all lanes in any direction.

Note that among the variety of options, there is a complex that determines the average speed on a traffic section.

So, how to outwit speed detection systems? Let's not be original - don't break it. Some use smartphone apps with a database of installed cameras, which warns in advance of the risk of being fined. Having passed the camera, they fly further again. Do you do this too? Remember that the Rules are mostly written in blood, and racing on public roads usually ends badly.

Operating principles of traffic police cameras for video recording of violations

Today, when traveling around Europe, it is almost impossible to meet a police officer on the roads, but, strange as it may seem at first glance, almost all drivers try not to violate traffic rules. The secret is completely simple - Europeans have been using video cameras to record violations for quite a long time and very successfully. Recently, you can increasingly see such devices on our roads. Many people have mixed feelings about them, but the statistics on reducing traffic violations speak for themselves.

In the modern world, every driver must clearly understand what surprises can await him on the road. In this article we will try to introduce the reader to the existing types of cameras for recording traffic violations.

Types of cameras for video recording of traffic violations

All DVRs used on the roads can be divided into 2 main types:

1. Automatic cameras.
2. Cameras that are used directly by traffic police officers.

Cameras for automatic recording of violations

DVRs operating in automatic mode record a fairly wide range of violations, but not all. Drivers need to remember that technology is constantly being improved and the list of rule violations is constantly expanding.

Automatic devices are usually divided according to the following parameters:

In addition to this classification, cameras can also be divided according to their operating principle:

1. Radar. They are easily recognized by the existing radar sensor and the camera itself. First, the radar detects a violation of the speed limit, and then video recording is made. Unfortunately, devices of this type have a fairly large percentage of errors, for which drivers have to pay.
2. Laser. These are the most modern cameras used in Europe. In our country you can also find such devices. They are usually attached to the side of the road and can cover six lanes of traffic. In addition to stationary options, you can also find portable devices. They look like a simple video camera, but with two lenses.
3. Video recordings. The device takes several photographs at a certain time interval and then calculates the speed of the car.

Stationary devices

This type of camera is installed in a specific location and is configured only once. Then they work automatically, recording traffic violations and sending them to the central office. These devices are capable of recording the widest possible range of violations:

• exceeding the speed limit;
• running a red light;
• temporary driving in the oncoming lane;
• stopping behind the stop line;
• driving through a prohibitory sign;
• driving on the sidewalk;
• violations when overtaking another vehicle;
• pedestrians were not allowed to pass at the crossing;
• crossing prohibition lines;
• low beam headlights not on;
• making a turn from the second row, etc.

Stationary camera

As noted earlier, this list is constantly expanding. For example, today the traffic police is working to ensure that video recording devices can track cars with expired insurance or those driving with a fake policy.

Stationary recording cameras can also be different, and the most common brands are:

1. “Arrow” – allows you to recognize a vehicle that is programmed in its memory. It can see an infringing target almost 500 meters away (the device is capable of driving up to several dozen cars simultaneously). After the intruder vehicle approaches 50 meters, the “arrow” will record the car’s license plate number and photograph it, then the internal radar will finally set the speed.
2. “Avtodoriya” - the device does not have a radar, and the speed is determined by photographing the car at the beginning of the segment of movement and at its end. The distance at which a violation can be noticed can range from 100 meters to 3 km.
3. "AvtoUragan - VSM" records approximately 15 types of traffic violations. There is also no built-in radar here, but a device with an error of 2 km. determines the speed of the car and records the time.
4. “Vocord” – speed is recorded using a series of photographs.
5. “Arena” – can be either stationary or mobile. It has the ability to notice an intruder even in the dark, detecting speeds from 20 to 250 kilometers per hour.

Most modern technical means used by the traffic police inspectorate cope well with their functions even in the dark, since they operate in the infrared range. This property also helps to see numbers stained with dirt.

Portable cameras

Portable cameras can be installed in completely different places, changing places as often as possible. These technical means must be reconfigured each time after installation. Such video cameras can practically only detect speeding, often ignoring other, no less serious traffic violations.

Portable camera

Mobile cameras

Video cameras of this type are installed directly in the vehicle of the traffic police inspector. Most often they are intended to record violations:

• speed limit;
• failure to comply with parking rules;
• non-compliance with payment rules for cargo transportation.

Mobile cameras are capable of detecting and recording violations while driving.

All three types of automatic cameras involve recording a violation and sending data and photographs of the violator to the traffic police inspectorate, from where the so-called “chain letters” are then sent out.

Mobile camera

Cameras used by traffic police officers

These technical means are used as auxiliary equipment by traffic police officers. They can be used to record any violations of traffic rules, but a fine is imposed immediately at the place where the vehicle is stopped by an inspector in manual mode. The use of such devices can occur in several ways.

1. The inspector films the violation and stops the violator. After presenting video evidence to the driver, a fine is issued on the spot.
2. The inspector records non-compliance with traffic rules and sends the information to the next post, where the violating vehicle is stopped. Then, after the driver familiarizes himself with the available materials, a fine is issued.
3. The camera is located at some distance from the traffic police post and uses car numbers to recognize them and check them against all the necessary databases. The information is sent to the post, where the desired vehicle is detained.

Camera near the traffic police post

What frequencies do cameras operate at?

In our country, standardized radio frequencies are most often used.

1. The most common frequency in the CIS countries is 10525 MHz, known as the X-band. In our country it is practically not used.
2. The most important band in Russia is 24150 MHz. This frequency has much less interference compared to the previous one. Most modern road cameras operate in this range.
3. The newest range is 34700 MHz. in Russia it is not used, as it is used for military needs.

How the received data is processed

After a traffic violation has been recorded, the automatic camera transmits all the photographs taken to the central server. Here, the owner of the car and his address are determined from the traffic police database. Next, the car owner is sent a letter containing a protocol and a Resolution on an administrative fine, certified by a seal. The letter will also include a photo of the car at the time of the violation. It is important that in such a photograph the license plate number of the car is clearly visible from the front and back. Such letters of “happiness” are always sent with notification. This date is the starting point for the required period of two months. This fine can be paid at any bank using the attached details.

How to find out about possible video recording

Our legislation provides for the installation of warning signs about the presence of automatic recording of traffic violations. This is plate 8.23. Such signs can be found on almost any road and you must always be careful not to receive a notification about an existing fine. Unfortunately, the absence of a sign cannot be a reason to protest the inspector’s decision.

Nobody likes receiving chain letters, but it is important to understand that the presence of automatic cameras is a very effective way to reduce accidents on the roads, and you just need to be very careful and not break traffic rules.

Know by sight: how cameras work to record violations

Have you heard about this Moscow story? The driver received a “letter of happiness” because there was... a shadow from his car on the side of the road. Literally the next day, a camera on the Moscow Ring Road mistook the glare of the headlights of a car driving without violation in the far right lane for an intruder. Then the collection of chamber art was replenished by a Nizhnekamsk fine for speeding by a tow truck, but the fine was issued for the car that this tow truck was transporting. And in the Moscow region, a driver was sent a fine for stopping on the side of the road at the request of a traffic police inspector. Let's add speed measurement errors here. For example, in Ulyanovsk the GAZelle “accelerated” to 233 km/h, and in Izhevsk Nexia, as it were, took off – the speed was recorded at 269 km/h.

Judging by the delusional resolutions, none of the responsible persons are bothered by mistakes. In theory, the inspector’s signature on the “chain letter” serves as confirmation that the document was drawn up correctly. In fact, it is extremely rare for a living person to receive papers for verification - for example, if it was not possible to recognize the license plate automatically. How so? And so: electronic signature – and no responsibility.

A recent inspection by the prosecutor's office showed that at the Moscow Parking Space Administrator (AMPS), fines for illegal parking are issued by persons not authorized by law. And the digital signatures of some employees are on orders issued on their day off. This is what complete trust in technology looks like: they say, since the camera recorded a violation, then an error is excluded.

And, for example, the owner of a Lada receives a fine, where a Mercedes-Benz is clearly visible in the photograph. The system identified the license plate, or the driver of the foreign car used a counterfeit tin. But none of the responsible persons even saw this discrepancy! The last one is, as usual, a motorist. He will have to run through authorities, waste time and nerves, proving his innocence. This is how the system is built. Or maybe the camera creators themselves are making mistakes?

The basis of the camera fleet on Russian roads is still made up of classic emitting radars (usually K-band). In particular, these are the popular “Strelki” and “Chris”. The operation of such radars is based on the Doppler effect, that is, on a change in the frequency of the signal reflected from a moving object.

The progress of Doppler radars is comparable to that of automobile radars: some things have become better, some things have become worse. Let’s remember the ancient “Barrier-2M”, the main tool of traffic cops twenty years ago. He identified the offender if he was driving alone or was 20–30 km/h behind the flow speed. Discussion on the topic “Whose speed is on the screen?” happened with the inspector on the spot and sometimes ended in favor of the driver. Nowadays, radars are crossed with cameras and can work autonomously. Does this mean that errors are excluded?

How does Strelka work? Like any other police camera, it recognizes images stored in memory - motorcycles, cars, trucks. It begins to lead the target (and not just one, but dozens - the developers do not disclose the exact number) at a distance of 450-500 meters. This is the range under ideal conditions - with clean lenses and no precipitation or backlight. To keep the lenses in working condition, special fans and even washers are used.

A violation can be detected as soon as the vehicle enters the radar field of view. The camera then tracks her. Automatic license plate recognition and photographing are performed 50–70 meters before the Strelka installation site. If the car changed lanes several times or completely disappeared from visibility, hiding behind a truck or bus, then... theoretically, the system should “forget” the offender and free up the memory cell. In practice, there are often cases when the already saved speed is assigned to another car, which unfortunately ends up next to the real offender. It is she who is photographed by the “dispassionate” Strelka. I myself received an undeserved “letter of happiness,” so I readily believe stories about such cases. However, there is another scheme of work that should eliminate such errors. For example, the Cordon radar recognizes the license plate of a car, measures its speed and coordinates at the same time.

Today, most cameras on the roads read front license plates. As a result, motorcyclists feel unpunished and do not pay attention to speed limits. A fast and compact bike may not be captured correctly by the camera, since it rides almost right next to the cars. Guess who will receive the “letter of happiness” in this case? There are precedents.

Speed ​​can be measured in other ways. For example, Avtodoriya complexes calculate the average speed over a distance from a couple of hundred meters to several kilometers. There is no radar part in Avtodoria, only cameras photographing the car at the beginning and end of a given section. The distance is known, the travel time is also known - the speed is calculated using the simplest formula. But mistakes happen! There are cases when the system compiled pairs of photographs incorrectly, recording one car at the entrance and another at the exit. This is due to similar license plates and failures in their recognition.

The Vocord system can measure average speed with one camera taking several pictures in a row. In this case, radar is also not used. Considering the extremely small section of the road in the camera's field of view, we can talk about punishment for exceeding the actual speed.

The Autouragan system determines speed using a “certified optical method based on video images.” Translated from the language of the instructions into normal - to change the size of a fixed object in the frame. For a car, this is the license plate.

Error cannot be excluded by any of the measurement methods. In the case of radars, it does not lie in the peculiarities of using the long-known Doppler effect, based on the laws of physics. Common reasons for all are a computer failure or a virus. Radarless systems may incorrectly determine time and coordinates. “Vocords” and “Auto-Hurricanes” operating at short distances only need a small displacement at the moment a violation is detected (for example, due to a strong gust of wind) for awkward speed indicators to appear in the resolution.

All manufacturers unanimously say: it is useless to deceive the camera by trying to hide the license plate. But miracles don't happen. If it is overgrown with mud or ice, there will be no fine. There are also failures when the processing system does not recognize a seemingly clean tin.

Someone tries to be cunning to the best of their own imagination and depravity. The Internet abounds with license plate sprays and fake numbers on magnets, which - in theory - confuse the camera and make it difficult to identify the characters.

As experience shows, they are all useless - we even tested “miracle” films and got a zero result (ZR, 2014, No. 5). And remember that if discovered by the inspector, these tricks will result in deprivation of rights.

The article will be found

Traffic cameras catch not only those who like to exceed the speed limit. You can receive a “letter of happiness” for driving into a bus or oncoming lane, for crossing a stop line, changing lanes, turning from the wrong lane, driving through an intersection or railroad crossing on a red light, for driving on the sidewalk or side of the road, and also if you don’t miss pedestrian

All these violations are monitored by radarless systems, which are configured according to a single scheme.

Manufacturers protect image processing and object recognition algorithms like a military secret. But the general principles are known. The camera is rigidly mounted on a pole or ramp, zones or trajectories are specified in its field of view, which the installation will monitor. Built-in positioning sensors monitor its position in space. If a slight shift occurs, the settings will be automatically adjusted. If the position change is significant, a signal will be sent to the technical support service.

To control the curb, oncoming lane or sidewalk, the following principle is used. An intruder is any car that appears in the designated sector. Moreover, to get a fine, it is enough to drive into the restricted zone even by a third of the width of the car. But if the camera malfunctions, even driving according to the rules will not save you. The system can detect the movement of a shadow or highlight that cannot have a license plate, and “designate” the nearest car as the violator.

True, in the case of the roadside there is a nuance - we are talking about an emergency stop permitted by the rules. Currently used cameras are not able to recognize an emergency signal or a triangle placed on the road. So, if you happen to break down right in front of the lens, you will have to challenge the fine and prove your innocence. First, file a complaint with the traffic police or another authority responsible for issuing decisions. If it doesn't help, go to court. Which justification a particular inspector or judge will believe is an open question. I advise you to request a video fragment from the violation recording center where your offense is captured. It must be retained as evidence for each disposition, and only photographs are sent to the offender. You can provide a document confirming the fact of the breakdown, for example an invoice for a tow truck or from a service center. As a last resort, take a photo of the broken down car with the warning sign displayed.

When monitoring turns in the second or third row and changing lanes, cameras monitor the movement of specific vehicles. The memory contains a sector where you cannot move, as well as options for prohibited and permitted trajectories. Those who drive straight in the second lane or turn from the first are not considered violators.

If in all the described cases the complexes detect violators in a continuous mode, then those monitoring intersections and railway crossings only detect violators when there is a prohibiting traffic light signal. However, they also work constantly to form a complete picture of what is happening.

You cannot “cover” the entire intersection with one camera, so multi-component systems are used for monitoring. The exact number of electronic monitors depends on the manufacturer, the number of violations monitored, and the lanes. If the system detects the car only when crossing the stop line after turning on the red light, a fine is issued under Part 2 of Article 12.12 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation for entering the intersection when the traffic light is prohibited. The fact that the markings are erased or hidden by snow is not an excuse. After all, the stop line is duplicated by the “Stop” sign in front of the intersection. You need to complain about its absence or incorrect installation, and not give yourself indulgence to break the rules.

If the cameras also detected the car at the exit from the intersection, the resolution will indicate Part 1 of Article 12.12 (driving through a prohibiting traffic light). A similar scheme applies to railway crossings, only in this case the punishment is more severe (Part 1 of Article 12.10).

How do speed cameras work?

Cameras for photographing traffic violations are becoming more and more numerous from year to year, and the list of violations that such a camera with advanced software can record is also impressive. Moreover, all cameras, without exception, are designed to record violations of the speed limit. This scale of placement of cameras is due to the fact that the technology is impartial and objective in comparison with traffic police inspectors and there is no way to come to an agreement with it, although sometimes the cameras also misfire and record “pseudo-violations.”

How and on what principle do speed cameras work? How many meters away do cameras record speed violations? Do speed cameras work at night? On what principle do average speed cameras work? We will answer these questions in this article.

How cameras work on the road

The basic principle of operation used in most cameras is based on the use of the echolocation method, which involves receiving a number of signals reflected from vehicles on the camera matrix, after which the system calculates the distance covered by the vehicle between the signals and calculates the speed using a mathematical formula.

New generation traffic cameras, just appearing on the roads, conduct photo and video tracking and, at the same time, calculate the speed of vehicles in motion. There are also cameras whose operation is based on a laser beam, the impact of which at one angle or another makes it possible to calculate speed based on the equations for the Doppler effect.

The cameras themselves can be:

• stationary. They are installed once at a permanent location and do not freely change their location;
• mobile. They have the ability to move freely, so they are used on different sections of the road, depending on the task. This type of cameras includes radars on police service vehicles, cameras mounted on tripods or in hands, and covert surveillance devices.

Photo recording cameras (stationary) operate around the clock. Night time does not interfere with recording violations, since they are equipped with infrared illumination.

Operating principle of average speed cameras

The speed of a moving vehicle can be measured as average or instantaneous. It all depends on the functional features of the camera and software. In the case of measuring average speed, a set of radars is used, located on a certain section of the highway.

Avtodoriya complex

Calculates the average speed on a certain section of the road, which can be either a couple of hundred meters or reach several kilometers. These complexes do not contain a radar part. In fact, at the beginning and end of the calculated section, photographic recording is made, which is designed to record the time interval between the moments of being at given points. The system knows the distance in advance. Given two variables, the system will automatically calculate the average driving speed. Even such a seemingly simple system fails. The fact is that cases cannot be completely ruled out when, given the similarity of cars and their license plates, the system identifies objects as the same transport, as a result of which, if both drivers do not have an offense, one of the car owners may receive an unfounded letter from fine

Vocord system

For this system, one camera is enough to determine the average speed of transport, since such cameras take several pictures in a row on a certain section of the road. Radars are also not used for these systems, but due to the limited distance at which photographic recording and calculation of the object’s speed takes place, the result obtained will be as close as possible to the actual speed.

Complex "Avtouragan"

The complex’s cameras calculate the speed of an object’s movement using a “certified optical method from a video image,” which is a measurement of the parameters of the observed object in the frame. The object is not the parameters of the entire vehicle, but only its license plate.

Radar "Cordon"

During fixation, the radar simultaneously recognizes the vehicle license plate, determines the coordinates and calculates the speed.

Despite the variety of video recording systems and complexes based on different operating principles, there is no universal complex that works without failures and errors. The main reason for such errors is problems in the software, most often these are caused by viruses and glitches, but there are also more prosaic ones - for example, weather conditions that influenced the change (shift) in the location of the camera.

Distance sufficient to record speed

The distance from the camera sufficient to record speed depends, first of all, on the type of photo-video recording system. Weather conditions, time of day, etc. play an important role. If the system consists of several simultaneously functioning cameras of the Avtodoriya type, then the distance can be measured in several kilometers.

If the complex consists of one independent camera, then a moving object falls into its field of view approximately 450-500 meters from the camera. This is the maximum distance under ideal conditions (light, clear, clean lens, etc.). A violation can be recorded while the object is in the camera’s field of view, i.e. getting into it 450-500 meters away, a few hundred more meters are monitored and the speed is calculated. In case of violation, photographic recording is usually carried out at a distance of 50-70 meters from the camera mounting location.

Maneuvering on a section of the road monitored by a camera before the final photo recording, such as changing lanes from lane to lane, leaving the visibility zone (changing lanes behind large vehicles in front) assumes in theory that the system will forget the violator. But often the obtained results of the violator’s speed are assigned to other vehicles that are moving in the vicinity of the violator, and in fact, an innocent person receives a letter with a fine. A similar situation is with motorcycles, the license plates of which, as a rule, do not fall into the field of view of the cameras due to their placement, but when moving with speed limit violations in the vicinity of cars, the system mistakenly records violations, but not of the motorcycle driver, but of the driver of the neighboring one. car with him.

Conclusion

Despite the flaws of the cameras, in fact today this is the most objective, impartial and incorruptible of all existing methods of monitoring compliance with traffic rules. Attempts made by drivers who like to drive around on the road do not give the desired result. Stickers, sprays and other manipulations with license plates, as a rule, do not create obstacles for cameras, but detection of such facts by inspectors can lead not only to a fine, but also to the deprivation of a driver’s license.

How do video cameras work?

More and more automatic video recording cameras are appearing on the roads. Incorruptible and reliable guards protecting traffic rules. A soulless camera is an excellent anti-corruption solution. True, the majority of drivers are still unhappy and feel offended when a camera photographs their violation. Also, many car owners believe that since they did not receive the protocol in their hands “lukewarm” after it was drawn up by the inspector at the scene of the violation, then it is not necessary to pay fines on the receipt received by mail. Only with a debt of fines exceeding 10,000 rubles, there is a chance not to fly off on vacation, having “stumbled” at passport control.

However, according to manufacturers of automatic fixation systems, the payback period for cameras in Moscow and the Moscow region is three months, in other regions of Russia – five to six months. In order to save money, the authorities install dummies in some areas, the cost of which, including installation, is about 100,000 rubles - this is still several times cheaper than the real thing, and in terms of efficiency it is not much inferior: even knowing the places where the dummies will be installed (they are published in the public domain), Drivers still slow down for them.

Over the past year, with their help, more than 50 million decisions were made in cases of administrative offenses, and this is already 67% of all decisions made for traffic violations, and these figures are growing from year to year. At the same time, not only the number of fines imposed increases, but also the number of articles of the Code of Administrative Offenses under which such fines are issued.

According to the State Traffic Inspectorate, almost 10 thousand such cameras are already operating on the country’s roads today. But so far, 76% of them are only able to track speed violations. This is 89% of automatically recorded violations. But more and more cameras are being used to recognize other types of violations, including:

– not allowing pedestrians to pass at pedestrian crossings;

– driving into oncoming traffic and under the “No Entry” sign;

– violation of the rules for passing signalized intersections and railway crossings;

– violation of the requirements of the sign “Trucks are prohibited”;

– the vehicle enters the public transport lane;

– violation of stopping and parking rules.

Further more. This year, a joint experiment of the State Traffic Inspectorate and the Russian Union of Auto Insurers was supposed to start to check the presence of an MTPL policy using video cameras. Due to the presence of a lot of erroneous information in the RSA database, the start of the project was suspended so as not to escalate social tension. But they will definitely return to this idea as soon as the databases are corrected. Since July of this year, the capital's photo and video cameras began to detect cars driving during the day with their headlights off. And in the Moscow region, authorities are planning to start an experiment that will help fight drivers who litter on the roads. The theoretical list of capabilities of automatic fixation complexes is much wider. Manufacturers compete with each other, adding more and more new features. Most likely, sooner or later all of them will be adopted by the State Traffic Inspectorate. In addition, cameras are effective not only in the fight against traffic rule violators, but also against utility debtors.

Basic principles of operation of video recording cameras:

Based on the principle of operation, the systems currently used are divided into radar, photo-video recording and laser. According to the method of use - mobile and stationary.

Radar cameras are the most “vulnerable” for intruders, since their work is recorded by radar detectors, or rather the signal sent by the locator. They need infrared illumination of the rooms at night, which, if broken, will render them useless. Also, these complexes have a fairly high error - the accuracy of fixation is less than 70%: due to poor visibility, for example. The operating principle of radar fixation complexes is based on the Doppler effect.

By the way, radars based on the Doppler effect are used not only to determine the speed of cars, but also to determine the speed of airplanes, ships and even clouds. The effect itself has found application in astronomy: it is used to determine the radial speed of movement of celestial bodies, including galaxies and stars.

Depending on the manufacturer’s brand, radar systems can detect speeding, driving through a red traffic light, entering oncoming traffic or a bus lane and crossing a solid road, and control from one to four lanes when the vehicle is moving within 150-250 km/h. The most “fierce” radar camera is “Strelka”, or rather, the most common domestic photo-video recording system is “Strelka-ST”, since almost no radar detector can pick it up. A camera, working in conjunction with a radar, takes a photo of the car at the moment the speed is measured, so that there is no dispute about who exactly committed the violation. It consists of two parts: the radar itself and the wide-angle camera. The radar, as the manufacturer claims, was created on the basis of technologies used in Russian military aviation. The wide viewing angle of the camera allows the system to “see” up to five lanes of traffic simultaneously. The direction of movement of cars in this case does not matter. Due to the high cost of the Strelka complex, it is advisable to install it on highways with multi-lane traffic.

Laser cameras work on the same principle, only over a greater distance, and the measured speed is limited to 350 km/h. True, in bad weather they become practically useless.

But the “AutoUragan” violation detection complex does without radar. He only has a wide-angle video camera in his arsenal. But this does not prevent him from determining the speed of cars passing by him with an error of only 2 km/h. Based on the number of frames in which the vehicle number is present, the vehicle's travel time is determined. The dimensions of the road surface are set when installing the camera. Using these parameters, the complex easily calculates the speed of the car.

The stationary photo-video recording complex “AvtoUragan-VSM” is capable of recording 16 types of traffic violations. A video image analysis program is already running here. For example, “AutoHurricane” identifies certain control zones where the car’s headlights are located and is able to independently determine whether the headlights are on or not. Also, because of its ability to recognize signs, the complex formed the basis of the ParkRight system, which monitors illegal parking. This “observer” became especially relevant with the introduction of paid parking in the center of Moscow.

Unlike radar cameras, which first record the movement of the intruder with a locator and then take a photograph, a photo recording camera processes the photographs. Based on the time it took the car (more precisely, its state registration plate) to pass through the “shoot-through” area, or the location of the car relative to the markings and signs, the complex determines the presence of a violation. Cameras can “shoot” not only at an approaching car, but also at a moving one, that is, if the driver presses the gas after the camera passes.

When monitoring an intersection or railway crossing, the complex receives data from the traffic light - if the red signal is on for more than 2 seconds, any car entering the intersection is considered a violator.

The measurement error of cameras is 5%. And unlike a radar, a photo recording complex cannot assign the measured speed to another car, since it “remembers” the license plates in the first frame. And it is impossible to “detect” it using a radar detector. The maximum measured vehicle speed can reach 255 km/h.

Search for cars with headlights off using the AutoHurricane system

In addition to the radar and camera, the standard set of devices for almost all tracking systems includes an infrared spotlight and a GLONASS/GPS coordinate determination module. In addition, they are equipped with power supplies, storage and information processing devices. Almost all cameras used on the roads for recording violations are of domestic production. Today in Russia there are about ten manufacturers of such automatic systems.

The complex sends information about the violation to the server. Here, after processing the image, information about the license plate number and violation, such as speeding, is “extracted” from a set of frames. Next, the system automatically determines the identity of the owner of the vehicle and a resolution on an administrative offense is formed. The system works almost independently. But at the same time, not a single violation can be processed without human participation. Initially, the operator of the violation recording center must confirm that the system did everything correctly. I was not mistaken, for example, in the search results for the owner of a car due to poorly readable license plates. But employees of such centers, as a rule, are civilians, so they cannot issue decisions on bringing to justice. If nothing alerts the center employee, he sends a file with information about the violation to the traffic police inspector. But if there is any doubt, the material is thrown into the trash and is no longer processed.

Classifying a driver’s actions as a violation and issuing a fine is the prerogative of a traffic police officer. The violation resolution is certified with an electronic digital signature and sent to the server. Now it can be printed on paper, packed in an envelope and sent to the offender. Such letters must be sent with return receipt requested.

Since the entire process from recording a violation to issuing a decision is carried out electronically, it is technically possible, immediately after signing the decision with a digital signature, to notify the violator about this in a form convenient for him. In order for the car owner to receive such notifications, he needs to register on the Unified Portal of State Services and request the service of informing about the presence of traffic police fines. In your personal account, in addition to your data, you need to indicate the details of your car and choose a convenient way to receive information: SMS to your mobile phone number or an email message. If you have the Gosuslugi mobile application installed on your smartphone or tablet, information about fines can be received in the form of push notifications. Knowing that a resolution has been issued, all you need to do is go to the website and find all the information about the violation. You can now also pay your fine online. But if you don’t agree with the violation, then it can and should be appealed.

In practice, errors occur in the operation of equipment and employees. Poor visibility on the road due to rain or snow means that the camera cannot correctly recognize the vehicle registration number. Sometimes some car owners do everything to prevent the license plates from being recognized by the system: they cover individual numbers with tape and erase them with a white marker. The violation recognition system algorithms are not always sufficiently developed. All this must be corrected by an employee of the recording center, because his duties include viewing the captured photo and video material, however, he can also make mistakes. Thus, recently a Moscow car enthusiast received a “letter of happiness”, from which it followed that his car had crossed a solid marking line. But when examining the photograph, it turned out that it was not the car that drove onto the side of the road, but its shadow crossed the continuous marking line.

The driver filed a complaint about the unjustified fine through the official website of the traffic police. The story received a public outcry and this is probably why the reaction to the appeal followed quickly. The Moscow traffic police explained the incident as a malfunction in the operation of the photo-video recording system. The decision to impose a fine will be cancelled. If you receive a “chain letter,” you need to understand that the presumption of innocence does not apply to such cases. The car owner will have to prove the absence of guilt (Article 1.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).