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Another automated fine - thanks, HAL
Sure, they'll say it's for safety, driving on excessively worn tires is dangerous, but something more sinister is afoot. German firm ProContour has developed a tire tread depth measuring system that beams a laser at the wheels of passing vehicles and takes 430 million measurements per second to develop a three-dimensional profile of that tire. Tread depth and pattern are then calculated, and if there's less than .06 inches of tread or the pattern is clearly inappropriate (studded snows in the summer, for example), a citation is automagically issued. While we're admittedly being cynical, the safety aspect of what ProContour has developed is pretty impressive. The ability to scan the tires of vehicles as they pass at speeds in excess of 50 km/h takes some doing, and we've seen horrid things posing as tires, so kudos, but a fine strikes us as a bit hardcore. Of course, financial pain might have a Pavlovian effect and cause those bitten by the Tire Ticket Fairy to keep a closer eye on their tires. It'd be a joke to assume that everyone already inspects their tires for condition and inflation on a regular basis, but that's how it should be, but then, there'd be no business model for ProContour. None of ProContour's big-brother rigs have been installed yet, but the company is shopping it around to local governments eager for yet another way to stick it to the citizens. The safety idea is laudable, but we're skeptical how a challenge to the seemingly infallible computer might go, should the system go all HAL9000 on us. Thanks for the tip, Rod! Video after the jump (in German).
[Source: thenewspaper.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
BLS 11:42AM (7/14/2008)
I have lived in Pennsylvania. Maryland, and Ohio. In Pennsylvania there are annual inspections that include tires and brakes. In Ohio and Maryland people neglect these items and roll around on junk. If you walk around a parking lot you will see that people don't replace their tires until they don't hold air anymore.
That is a massive exageration but I am all for annual inspections because I don't want to be rearended because someone with no brakes and bald tires. These types of accidents are too preventable.
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Dustin 12:27PM (7/14/2008)
Inspections, yes. Big Brother, no.
Dan 1:40PM (7/14/2008)
So because some other person is driving around on slicks with pieces of belt showing, I should have to waste my afternoon and $50 on an inspection?
That's liberals for you, one person craps so we should all wear diapers.
Bah 4:00PM (7/14/2008)
Dan, you are driving on the same road as that guy with the cords showing - the inspection keeps everyone safe. You likely can't tell that his/her tires are a time bomb when they are driving next to you on the interstate...
Dan 6:30PM (7/14/2008)
Again, my tires are not the problem. Negligence commited by someone else is not justification to make me jump through stupid hoops.
How about issuing fines and jailtime for people who cause collisions due to neglect of equipment while leaving people who not cause collisions alone?
CH 1:49AM (7/15/2008)
"How about issuing fines and jailtime for people who cause collisions due to neglect of equipment while leaving people who not cause collisions alone?"
You see, if he causes a collision with you, who obviously is aware of safety concerns with the tires, and kills you in the accident, would you not rather have him checked his tires and replaced so the accident could have been prevented?
Chris 11:46AM (7/14/2008)
And I would like the engineers who stay up late thinking up this kind of ridiculous crap to be the first to be fined.
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Crashmaxx 4:28PM (7/14/2008)
Don't blame the engineers. They surely just designed this to make keeping tabs on tire wear much easier. I would bet they were genuinely concerned with road safety.
It's the marketing people and government that buys the system that will put it to use to issue fines.
John Johnson 11:45AM (7/14/2008)
If it's a small enough fine to bite you but not kill you ($20), you'll replace your tires soon enough if you have to keep driving over the sensors. I like it a lot. They need to invent one of these that can measure brake pad thickness as well. Maybe driver intelligence too? That'd sure stop a ton of accidents.
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geo.stewart 1:06PM (7/14/2008)
1) Fine then unless you show up with a tire receipt within 15-30 days.
2) Does this measure front and back, or just rear? if only the rear, seems like a half-hearted half-effective effort considering the amount of FWD in Europe.
Todd 11:48AM (7/14/2008)
Just raise the requirements for having a drivers license to what they require at Bob Bondarant and end this silliness. 75% on the road don't have the skills to operate a vehicle. Eliminate them and problem is solved.
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Mobius_1 12:12PM (7/14/2008)
Well, if all those 75% go off the road, there will be no retarded accidents, old people doing 30 on highways and generally going VERY slowly, people talking, eating or doing anything but paying attention etc. Plus, there will be no congestion, and far less pollution.
I think Todd just proposed a solution to most of the world's problems :)
Dan 1:37PM (7/14/2008)
And nobody showing up at work to keep the economy afloat either.
Vintage 11:50AM (7/14/2008)
Here's an idea: Just fine people who get into accidents that have bad brakes or bald tires. Problem solved. No need for expensive gizmos. Don't want a fine? Either replace your tires or avoid accidents.
I hate all this gestapo crap in the name of safety. If safety was a real concern to police officers, they'd ignore people paying attention and driving over the speed limit, and start ticketing the absent minded morons who don't use signals, never check blindspots, and yap on cell phones.
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info 12:21PM (7/14/2008)
>>>Here's an idea: Just fine people who get into accidents that have bad brakes or bald tires. Problem solved.
G-Meister 12:50PM (7/14/2008)
Agree 100%. Expand that to people impeding traffic due to their poor choices in winter rubber.
There are truly better uses of time and technology.
Andrew 11:52AM (7/14/2008)
We could probably use it here in Scandinavia. Our roads get eaten up during winter and studded tires are supposed to come off at certain official dates.. It really increases the road maintenance costs if people keep driving with them on.
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tim 12:08PM (7/14/2008)
c'mon, guys. we've got to see this stuff for what it is...revenue enhancement. there has to come a time when we realize our rights are being eaten away every time a new bit of technology comes around to "save" us from ourselves. please wake up and see that. i'm far from a consipiracy theorist, but this stuff is so blantantly big brother we should all be worried.
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Colin Smith 12:08PM (7/14/2008)
In Germany neighbours report you to the police for parking on a yellow line, hanging out washing when you shouldn't and cutting your grass on the wrong day: you get a man in a police uniform knocking on the door as the net curtains nearby twitch. This is normal for Germans.
A German friend of mine experienced all of this at different times: he's dead now sadly, but through natural causes. Seventy years ago however...
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04volk 12:18PM (7/14/2008)
OK,
Its totally for revenue. If you get a $20 fine in the mail and your tires aren't bad. Your telling me your going to court to fight it? or driving all the way into the city to show an officer your tires aren't bald?
With Gas approaching $5 a gallon. And taking and hour or two out of the day to defend yourself, everyone will be forced to pay the fine.
Annual inspections are the way to go....
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