SpeedSpike - Traffic Tickets from Space!
 

UK Tests Satellite-Based Speed Cameras - autoevolution

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Having to battle a wave of public outrage every time they install a new speed camera on some road, UK authorities decided it's time to put an end to all the debate and stop drivers from having a say in the matter.

According to The Telegraph, the cameras are being tested by the Home Office in Southwark, London and between Antony and Torpoint in Cornwall.

Called "SpeedSpike," the system uses number plate reading technology and GPS receivers to calculate the speed of a given vehicle between any two points in the network.

Simply put, the satellite takes two photos of a car, at two different locations and then calculates the speed the car was traveling at to go from point A to point B, based on the time of departure and arrival.

The principle behind the average speed camera is simple: knowing the distance between point A and point B, as well as the time a vehicle departs point A, it's easy to determine the average speed of that car between the two points. Then, using number plate reading technology, the car and driver are identified and there you have it: a ticket !

Of course, the use of satellites to track your car where ever you can has already spawned controversy. Already known as the "surveillance society," the UK is gearing up to become the place where every single action you take is closely watched.

The system's creators however, PIPS Technology, as well as the AA, believe this only a natural evolution of the existing technology, which has the advantages of being cheaper, simpler and more effective than existing speed cameras and even speed deterrents like bumps.

Two problems I see with this:
1) How's it going to read your plate at that angle? You'd need to have numbers painted on your roof.
2) "average speed tickets"? How are they going to calculate stop lights/ construction/ etc?

Too bad they have to install this in your car first.
So first of this would be pretty expensive.

And I'm sure the GPS signals would somehow magically drop, anybody want to buy a antenna cover? ;-)

edit: I believe they just use the gps satelites for location.
They don't actually use it to take pictures of your car. As that would mean they would have to launch a couple of billion dollars worth of satelites first...

I believe it tags your GPS signal (similar to a MAC address for computers & such), and that is paired with your car info.
On your other point, I would assume this system will be primarily to watch larger open roads where people travel at excessive speeds since there are no street lights and such.