KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — Come June, motorists plying two specific highway routes will need to be mindful of their speed limit as authorities are set to begin pilot testing the new Automated Awareness Safety System (AWAS) speed cameras.
The two confirmed trial routes are the KL-Karak Expressway, from the Genting Sempah tunnel to the Gombak Rest Stop, and the North-South Expressway, from Senawang Toll Plaza to Simpang Ampat Toll Plaza.
Unlike traditional speed cameras which capture a vehicle’s speed at a specific point and encourage speeders to slow down only where the cameras are located, the point-to-point speed enforcement system captures data over a longer distance.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke revealed in January why the system is now being considered, explaining that the current static camera system has serious loopholes that allow offenders to evade penalties, ultimately putting other road users in danger.
This new method now ensures that speeding violations are detected regardless of whether a driver briefly accelerates or decelerates.
Malay Mail explains how this new mechanism works and the countries that have implemented it.
What’s new?
The AWAS cameras, which are modular-based and produced by Ekin Smart City, replace the ageing Redflex cameras used by the Automated Enforcement System (AES) for the Road Transport Department’s speed limit enforcement.
The point-to-point system will utilise the newer Ekin Spotter camera, capable of detecting speeds of up to 320 kilometres per hour through its 360-degree video surveillance recording functionality alongside Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology.
How does this work?
At its most basic, a point-to-point system involves two sets of cameras installed along a fixed route that collect image and vehicle registration data at each point, which are then tracked using ANPR technology.
At each checkpoint (entering and exiting the monitored section), a video camera associated with ANPR takes a shot of each vehicle and records its number plate and time of passage.
The location of the offence is at the exit checkpoint. At this point, a processing unit uses this information for each vehicle to compute its average speed over the entire stretch of road.
Scenario example: You are supposed to reach point B from point A in 30 minutes based on a 110 kilometre per hour speed limit but you arrive at your destination earlier in 20 minutes.
The system will therefore detect you drove beyond the speed limit.
TLDR: You will no longer be able to avoid speed camera detection by slowing down in front of the camera. Drivers would now have to adhere to the speed limit within a designated zone or risk violation.
Where has this been applied?
Italy
Often considered the ‘unofficial’ speed camera capital of Europe, with over 10,000 devices installed nationwide, Italy adopted the point-to-point speed enforcement system in 2005.
It is known as the Tutor system (also referred to as Safety Tutor) and is managed by the Italian Traffic Police, also known as the Polizia Stradale to monitor and enforce speed limits.
The Tutor system is currently operating on motorway networks managed by Italian highway concessionaires, such as Autostrade per l’Italia S.p.A and Autostrade Alto Adriatico S.p.A, covering more than 2,500 kilometres of lanes with above-average mortality rates.
Caption: If the average speed of a vehicle exceeds set values, the system automatically records its data and a notification is issued by the authorities if the violation falls outside of a five per cent tolerance range. — Picture courtesy of Infoviaggiando
United Kingdom
Introduced in 1999, the system is known as SPECS in the United Kingdom and was the first average speed monitoring system approved by the Home Office, the UK’s interior ministry.
SPECS cameras are currently deployed on several key roads in the UK with a history of speeding or high accident rates, such as the M25 and M6 (the longest motorway in the UK).
France
Similar to the UK’s SPECS and Italy’s Tutor, France’s average speed camera system (also known as radar tronçons or section radar) was introduced under the country’s Contrôle Automatique de la Vitesse system in 2012.
According to the French National Agency for Automated Offence Processing, the cameras are intended for use on dangerous sections of road or motorway (such as turns and downward slopes) or areas where an accident could have more severe consequences (such as bridges, tunnels, and viaducts).
