As modern technologies are increasingly integrated into daily life, particularly in law enforcement with the introduction of retrospective penalties for traffic violations, other innovations are also being developed to enhance convenience and peace of mind for commuters.
Retrospective penalties, or “cold penalties,” have been introduced in Vietnam as a countermeasure to the rising number of road safety violations. This system relies on image storage, analysis, and recognition technology to identify and penalize traffic offenses such as speeding, running red lights, and illegal parking.
However, these “cold penalties” have also instilled fear in some commuters, with cases of repeated offenses at the same location resulting in hefty fines. So, how can commuters take control of these retrospective penalties and ease their worries when hitting the road?
A discussion on this topic was held in Hanoi on June 29, 2024, with the participation of PGS. TS Dam Hoang Phuc, Program Director of Automotive Engineering at Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Phuc emphasized the positive impact of retrospective penalties in guiding people towards better compliance with traffic laws and encouraged support for this system to improve road safety awareness.
Nguyen Quoc Binh, a community administrator, added that commuters need to exercise patience, self-control, and utmost respect for traffic rules. Le Manh Linh, another community administrator, agreed, stating that a sense of fear could help improve road safety awareness. They both emphasized the importance of learning from daily driving experiences and utilizing technology to avoid violations.
However, Dr. Phuc also acknowledged the potential impact of the fear of retrospective penalties on commuters’ psychology, suggesting that excessive worry about speeding could reduce overall driving safety.
Dr. Phuc highlighted the evolution of automotive technology, noting that while cars in the previous century relied primarily on gasoline and diesel engines, vehicles in this century are powered by “information technology.” This is evident in the increasing availability of smart features such as ABS, EBD, BA, electronic stability control, hill start/descent assist, electronic parking brake, rearview camera, front and rear sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) like adaptive cruise control and collision mitigation braking.
Alongside technological advancements in law enforcement, the market has also witnessed the emergence of solutions designed to assist and remind drivers, preventing them from inadvertently committing traffic violations that could lead to retrospective penalties. One such solution is the GSpeed app from Icar.
Launched on June 3, 2023, Icar has recently released the GSpeed 2.0 app with significant updates. Firstly, the app is now available for Apple devices, in addition to Android, significantly expanding its user base. Secondly, GSpeed 2.0 provides reminders for both retrospective penalty cameras (up to 350m away) and speed limits, while also recognizing traffic signs.
The app also allows the community to contribute and update data through its website, Facebook group, or directly from the app itself. As a result, GSpeed 2.0 has achieved a remarkable 95% data accuracy, with over 32,700 contributions from 10,000 active users out of a total of 35,000 registered accounts. This makes GSpeed 2.0 an effective and useful solution, ensuring safe and convenient commuting without the constant worry of retrospective penalties.