Spain’s new speed cameras can catch drivers ‘before they have time to brake’
The new laser-based AI speed cameras can identify vehicles from over 200 metres away
The new cameras are already being installed throughout Spain
Pozdeyev Vitaly/Shutterstock
Spain is set to introduce a new generation of “smart” speed cameras capable of identifying speeding vehicles from distances of more than 200 metres.
These new cameras use 3D LIDAR technology, artificial intelligence and advanced imaging systems, making late braking ineffective once drivers notice the camera.
The technology is already being installed across parts of the Spanish road network and will be activated progressively.
The three-dimensional LIDAR systems work by creating a detailed digital “point cloud” of vehicles passing through multiple lanes (a 3D map made up of thousands of tiny points created by laser measurements).
This allows the cameras not only to measure speed with high precision, but also to identify vehicle types in real time. The cameras combine the LIDAR footage with real-time AI analysis to instantly differentiate between cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles and apply the relevant speed limits automatically.
One of the main improvements is better detection of motorcycles, which were sometimes less reliably captured by older systems due to their smaller profile.
Unlike traditional speed cameras, which allow drivers to slow down just before passing the device, these systems measure speed in advance, as detection begins from more than 200 metres away.
"You no longer have time to brake right in front of the camera. By the time you see it, it's already too late. The precision is absolute ," José Eugenio Naranjo, a PhD in Computer Science from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, who helped develop the new cameras, told the Spanish radio network COPE.
In addition, the technology can also detect accidents, stopped vehicles and dangerous driving behaviour in real time, enabling faster intervention and improving overall traffic management and road safety.
France: similar technologies but slower rollout
France already uses a range of speed enforcement systems, including fixed radars, section (average-speed) cameras and mobile laser devices. However, most rely on conventional Doppler radar or simpler laser-based systems rather than full 3D imaging.
While France is experimenting with more advanced traffic-monitoring tools, the large-scale deployment of AI-driven 3D LIDAR radars remains limited compared with Spain’s current rollout.
