One of the UK’s pioneers of average speed camera technology, Geoff Collins, has taken on a new role with Australian AI camera technology company Acusensus.

As General Manager, UK, he will lead the company’s expansion into the UK market, bringing tried-and-tested technology enabled solutions to detect, among other things, people illegally using mobile phones at the wheel, or not wearing a seatbelt.

Acusensus, which was founded nearly five years ago, has rapidly grown to deliver patented technology to clearly analyse images captured through windscreens. It also has developed radar mobile speed enforcement camera vehicles, trailers and fixed installations, can identify unregistered or hot-listed vehicles, and even pick up other forms of distracted driving.

“I’m both excited and privileged to join this forward looking, innovative business that is already making great progress in reducing road trauma, through the identification of distracted drivers using AI techniques,” commented Mr Collins.

“I first met the team when we collaborated on a pilot scheme installed on the M4 motorway in Berkshire. This project allowed me to appreciate just how powerful the Acusensus ‘Heads-up’ technology was, automatically identifying road users who were illegally using their mobile devices or not wearing a seatbelt. Having worked with imaging systems for many years, I appreciated just how well it operated, working virtually ‘out of the box’ in all weather conditions.”

That Acusensus ‘Heads Up’ won the ITS (UK) Enforcement Scheme of the Year Award in October for a project delivered with AECOM, National Highways and Warwickshire Police.  The judges described it as, “An innovative approach for identifying drivers not wearing seatbelts or using a mobile phone, that should be both scalable and offer an efficient way of detecting these offences compared to current methods.”

In his new role, Geoff Collins will continue as Chair of the ITS (UK) Enforcement Forum, which he has undertaken for the last five and a half years.