Oi! Take a squiz at what's hot!

Cop cars getting smarter too

By Pam Carroll on 06 August 2007

Tags: car tech | gps | police | video | plate | melbourne

Lost mobile

It might not exactly be KITT from Knight Rider, but the new high-tech police car on display in Melbourne will make the GPS devices and Bluetooth adaptors proliferating in consumer automobiles look positively humble.

Billed as the world's most technically advanced police car, the vehicle not only has GPS onboard, but integrated front and rear video cameras that facilitate facial and number plate recognition. Police will be able to scan thousands of number plates in a shift using infrared technology, then obtain real-time information on vehicles, drivers or crime scenes through the car's touchscreen panel.

The prototype has been developed by Australia's National Safety Agency (NSA), General Motors, Motorola and Monash University in consultation with the Victorian Police Force as well as other Australian police and emergency services.

The new-age squad car will be on display at SmartDemo 2007, a showcase of the latest transport technologies to be held at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds on August 14-15. Also on exhibit will be a car that parks itself, a system to help commuters find the least congested route, and safety devices that monitor driver fatigue and blind spots. For more info see the SmartDemo 2007 website.

cop tech

With real time licence plate recognition, you'll be identified well before being pulled over.

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televisi
08/08/2007 09:34 AM

wow... such a cool technology they have, hoping no more hooning on the street

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George Orwell
08/10/2007 06:01 PM

and the facial recognition is great as well. We wont need National ID cards if they can scan our faces and know who we are.

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Fred
11/03/2008 08:49 PM

..."safety devices that monitor driver fatigue and blind spots"... Well this type of safety functionality is already standard in some european cars. For example buy a Volvo XC70 today and you can get "BILS" looking after your blind spot. Buy a Benz or Lexus can the cars can monitor you and warn if you seem tired. What's the news? Australia and Australian car manufacturers ar SOOOOO far behind European especially Swedish car manufacturers from a safety perspective! Amazingly a number of new cars sold here do not even have headrest in the back seat.... Wake up Australia, all people living here deserve the same level of safety as Europeans!

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Faceoff
26/03/2008 05:36 PM

It looks real safe - clatter the windows so the police can't see out. Remind me, what happen to traditional policing? I don't remember ticking, use my photo for facial recognition purposes.

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Faceoff
26/03/2008 05:37 PM

It looks real safe - clatter the windows so the police can't see out. Remind me, what happen to traditional policing? I don't remember ticking, use my photo for facial recognition purposes.

Report offensive content

Faceoff
26/03/2008 05:38 PM

It looks real safe - clatter the windows so the police can't see out. Remind me, what happen to traditional policing? I don't remember ticking, use my photo for facial recognition purposes.

Report offensive content

Faceoff
26/03/2008 05:38 PM

It looks real safe - clatter the windows so the police can't see out. Remind me, what happen to traditional policing? I don't remember ticking, use my photo for facial recognition purposes.

Report offensive content

Faceoff
26/03/2008 05:39 PM

It looks real safe - clatter the windows so the police can't see out. Remind me, what happen to traditional policing? I don't remember ticking, use my photo for facial recognition purposes.

Report offensive content

Faceoff
26/03/2008 05:39 PM

It looks real safe - clatter the windows so the police can't see out. Remind me, what happen to traditional policing? I don't remember ticking, use my photo for facial recognition purposes.

Report offensive content

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