Gov’t introduces new technology to ‘confuse’ speeding drivers

Latest mobile technology is being utilised in Georgia to target speeding drivers and make Georgia’s roads safer.

A mobile app that warns drivers of upcoming speed detectors is being overhauled to restrict it from signaling to motorists when they’re approaching a speed detector. 

Officials said the purpose of adding the new function to the Gocha mobile app was to deter motorists from speeding, encourage them to adhere to the road rules and drive slower and more safely on Georgian roads.

The  Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia has introduced to this and other new regulations that will be introduced in the country to enforce better driving on local roads. At yesterday’s presentation Minister Archil Talakvadze said the Gocha app upgrade was only one of several changes that will come into effect next year. 

He noted from 2016 mobile speed detectors will be planted near highways. 

The location of the detectors will differ from time to time and drivers will not know where they might be. So they will drive more cautiously to avoid violating the speed rules,” Talakvadze said. 

He stressed the Gocha app would also not be able to predict where the whereabouts of the speed detectors. 

Up to now Gocha functions in two ways – on and silent. When switched on, the application made a noise after detecting a speed detector nearby, while when switched off it remains silent.” 

From the next year Gocha will have a third function – confused. So when it emits this noise, drivers will not know if there is a speed detector nearby or not,” Talakvadze said. 

Deputy Interior Minister announced about new traffic rules and innovations. Photo by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. 

The Gocha application operated by emitting a noise to warn drivers a speed detector was nearby. The upgrade will see the app emit another noise – when there is no definite signal of a detector. 

There might be a detector or they might not be, said the Minister. In these situations drivers would often reduce their speed to prevent them from being caught speeding, and this was the aim of the initiative. 

Meanwhile other changes revealed by the Ministry on December 3 outlined improved control on public buses, gradual upgrading of older cars nationwide, introducing off-site patrolling via surveillance cameras, restricting registration of new imported right-hand drive vehicles, refining of legislation for pedestrian safety, introducing a new demerit points system for all drivers and enforcing practical driving tests that include driving on the road instead of only in carparks, which is currently the norm.