This is a technology that has been under test for a few years now in places like California. It is now spreading to other states, such as Nevada, where the Nevada Department of Transportation says they will be used to find people who don’t belong in these lanes.
Essentially, it is another automated method to catch wrong-doers who are breaking the law. Similar to red light cameras or speed cameras that a number of states make use of. These sensors will be able to detect the number of passengers in your car to make sure that you belong there.
The image that you can see here shows the number of locations where Nevada will be installing these in Las Vegas. A city that is known for its anti-camera opinions when it comes to cameras that can auto-ticket drivers. Therefore it is hard to say how these will be received by locals.
Many have said that these are gateway devices that could potentially lead to the city trying to install other camera options around the valley again. Something that private neighborhoods have been recently taking advantage of. If this becomes well-received, it will make it a lot easy for the city to do such things in the future.
Regardless, HOV lanes are so commonly misused by drivers daily. In some cities, they become used inappropriately more than they do appropriately. They are supposed to be for vehicles that contain two or more drivers. Promoting carpooling over excessive vehicles on the road.
You’ll likely continue to see these pop up in other cities around the country as they grow in popularity. Their use-case scenario tests within California were seen as a success by the state, which is why the interest has been spreading.
With more cars moving toward automated analytics and driving, it won’t be long before everything we do on the road can be tracked. What are your thoughts on these cameras and similar techniques being used by cities to catch drivers in the act? Feel free to use the comments below to share.
