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Bi-directional detection of mobile phone use coming into effect this week in New South Wales as a world first from Acusensus.
New South Wales is the first location in the world to receive a new upgrade that allows for bi-directional enforcement by mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras.
From this Sunday the bi-directional capability will be active, but initially only for a single-camera unit. Within six months, all 10 of the NSW Government's mobile phone and seatbelt detecting cameras will have received the upgrade.
The cameras have been operating in NSW since 2019, but until now could only target drivers in up to two lanes of traffic travelling in one direction.
Traffic camera company Acusensus supplies mobile phone detecting cameras to every state and territory in Australia except Tasmania, Victoria, and the Northern Territory.
Acusensus told Drive that this is the first time it has deployed bi-directional mobile phone camera enforcement technology anywhere in the world. The new capability requires additional hardware and software to be added to the portable camera trailers.
Drive understands the bi-directional cameras underwent initial testing in January 2024, and have since undergone further integration and field testing.
Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray credited mobile phone cameras for making roads safer and reducing the number of drivers using their phones while driving.
“One in just under every 1300 vehicles checked by these cameras in 2025 had someone breaking seatbelt laws while around one in every 1200 were caught using their mobile phone illegally,” Murray said.
“Compared to as many as one in every 400 cars [using their mobile phone illegally] when we first started camera enforcement of mobile phone offences.
“We know lives have been saved as people change their behaviours in response to awareness and education with seatbelt use and distractions through phone use featuring as key contributors to the road toll.”
Murray said an increase in the number of vehicles on NSW's roads meant this upgrade was necessary.
“When we switched on mobile phone detection cameras almost seven years ago, the target was to be able to check each registered vehicle in NSW an average of at least 20 times a year,” Murray said.
“Since then, the number of registered vehicles in NSW has jumped almost 12%, from 6.7 million to 7.5 million.”
Murray added fines from all camera infringements are allocated towards funding more road safety programs.
Tasmania and Victoria use mobile phone detection cameras from different suppliers, while the NT currently has no mobile phone and seatbelt detecting cameras in operation.
Max is the News Publishing Coordinator for Drive. He enjoys creating engaging digital content, including videos, podcasts, interactive maps, and graphs. Prior to Drive, he studied at Monash University and gained experience working for various publications. He grew up playing Burnout 3: Takedown on the PS2 and was disappointed when real life car races didn’t have the same physics.
