Scotland to Trial AI ‘Spy’ Cameras to Catch Distracted Drivers

Transport Scotland is set to pilot a new AI-driven camera system aimed at identifying motorists who break the law by using mobile phones or failing to wear seatbelts.

The £350,000 pilot programme will see the cameras deployed across selected roads to enhance driver safety.

The technology, developed by Edinburgh-based firm AECOM, uses artificial intelligence to detect whether drivers are paying attention, holding a phone, or wearing a seatbelt. Images of any violations are recorded and then reviewed by a team of analysts before any enforcement action is taken.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson told the Daily Record: “We are trialling distracted driver technology as part of our ongoing commitment to making Scotland’s roads the safest in the world by 2030. Plans for wider rollout are being finalised and will be announced in due course.”

Drivers caught not wearing a seatbelt face a minimum £100 fine, with penalties increasing to £500 plus three points if a child under 14 is improperly restrained. Motorists using a mobile phone while driving could be fined up to £1,000 and receive six penalty points.

The pilot builds on previous trials conducted across the UK. In 2023, cameras tested in Durham, Cornwall, Greater Manchester, and Humberside highlighted the technology’s effectiveness, with one camera in Durham capturing 1,000 offences in a single week on the A1(M). In Cornwall, cameras recorded around 100 fines per day.

Police Scotland hopes the technology will help target high-risk driving behaviours. However, organisations such as the AA have cautioned that AI cameras should not replace traffic officers in detecting offences such as drink-driving, which cannot be captured by photographic technology.