{"id":80873,"date":"2026-08-26T14:20:30","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T14:20:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/80873\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T14:20:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T14:20:30","slug":"drivers-face-crackdown-on-annoying-act-as-new-sound-cameras-proposed-for-aussie-roads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/80873\/","title":{"rendered":"Drivers face crackdown on annoying act as new ‘sound cameras’ proposed for Aussie roads"},"content":{"rendered":"

Motorists<\/a> in a new Aussie state could soon face a new high-tech threat, with sound-detection cameras proposed to catch drivers<\/a> revving engines, screeching tyres, and using loud exhausts.<\/p>\n

Adelaide City Councillor Phillip Martin is pushing for an investigation into the technology,<\/a> which uses microphones to detect excessive vehicle noise before a camera captures the offending vehicle’s number plate.<\/p>\n

The proposed cameras could be used<\/a> at troublesome locations, including O’Connell Street in North Adelaide and Hutt Street, where residents have complained about hoon driving and excessive noise.<\/p>\n

“It’s the hoon ride, people who are accelerating in modified cars that make a lot of noise,” Martin told 7News. “Everything about these cars says, ‘Hey, look at me’.”<\/p>\n

The technology has already been used in Victoria and New South Wales.<\/p>\n

How the ‘sound cameras’ work<\/p>\n

Unlike traditional roadside cameras, the technology uses acoustic sensors to detect vehicles exceeding a set noise threshold.<\/p>\n

Once the threshold is reached, a camera can capture images of the vehicle and its registration plate.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration<\/p>\n

Noise cameras were trialled in NSW. Source: UK Government<\/p>\n

Martin added that the technology could help authorities catch drivers making excessive noise, rather than relying on police to be in the right place at the right time.<\/p>\n

Under the proposal, drivers could initially receive warnings, with repeat offenders potentially facing fines.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Any Adelaide trial would require backing from the South Australian Government.<\/p>\n

South Australian police already have powers to stop vehicles and issue fines for excessive noise from modified exhausts or amplified sound equipment.<\/p>\n

Do you have a story? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a><\/p>\n

NSW has already put them to the test<\/p>\n

The push in Adelaide comes after an Australian-first noise camera trial in NSW was completed.<\/a><\/p>\n

The NSW Government trialled three cameras across the Bayside and Wollongong council areas, with the technology collecting data on noisy vehicles and driving behaviour.<\/p>\n

The NSW Environment Protection Authority said the data is now being analysed to inform future options for managing noisy vehicles.<\/p>\n

No fines were issued during the trial.<\/p>\n

RELATED<\/p>\n

\"Phillip<\/p>\n

Adelaide City Councillor Phillip Martin said the technology could help authorities catch drivers making excessive noise. Source: 7News\/Intelligent Instruments<\/p>\n

The trial found noisy driving was particularly common at night and on weekends, while motorcycles accounted for about 55 per cent of detections despite representing a much smaller share of registered vehicles.<\/p>\n

The technology is also moving ahead in Victoria, where authorities announced a two-year, $1.3 million trial involving seven acoustic cameras to identify excessively noisy vehicles and capture their registration plates.<\/p>\n

If approved, Adelaide council administration is expected to examine the potential risks and benefits, with a report due in November 2026.<\/p>\n

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