For anyone who currently takes the parking risk on a regular basis – watch out! A new drive-by spy camera, which electronically scans the position of parked cars is being trialed in Australia.
Mounted to a vehicle driven by a parking ranger, it scans parked cars at two separate intervals, noting the colour, shape, size and exact location of each car. At the next interval, autoChalk (as the system is known) takes a second image and automatically compares it with the first. If the characteristics match, autoChalk alerts the ranger. The ranger then checks the car’s characteristics, including licence plate, colour and model, as well as verifying the position of the vehicle, before issuing a ticket.
It can automatically detect five times the number of vehicles in the same area as one parking ranger patrolling on foot.
Terrifying. Read more on the Sydney Morning Herald, in an article entitled “Virtual chalk to keep tabs on parked cars”.