Briefing
Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger publicly backed a uniform nationwide framework for introducing so-called mobile phone detection cameras on 3 November 2026. The German Road Safety Council (DVR) joined the call and also demanded tougher measures against mobile phone use at the wheel. The move follows pilot schemes using special camera systems installed on bridges over motorways, which can record drivers holding a mobile phone in their vehicle.
The systems under discussion, often Monocam by name, use a camera angled downwards to look through the windscreen into the vehicle and record, in a way that can be checked by a computer, whether someone is holding a mobile phone while driving. Supporters point to findings from trials in Rhineland-Palatinate, where Monocams have been tested, according to state authorities. Bilger and DVR representatives stressed that the aim was not blanket surveillance, but improving road safety by specifically penalising dangerous distraction at the wheel.
Opponents, by contrast, see significant legal and data protection issues: critics point to unclear standards for automated analysis, the presumption of innocence in relation to image material, and the question of the circumstances in which image analysis establishes reasonable suspicion. Legal experts and data protection officials stress that a nationwide introduction would need to include clear provisions in the Road Traffic Act and regulate jurisdiction and retention periods, as well as provide for human oversight.
Technical and administrative decisions would also be needed on where to install the systems — for example, which motorway bridges are suitable — and on the division of responsibilities between the federal and state governments. Some state police forces have been open to new technical tools in discussions, while also calling for legal clarity.
The debate now taking place in public is likely to move in the coming weeks to committees of the Bundestag and Bundesrat, as well as to expert discussions with data protection authorities. No specific draft legislation or timetable for amending the Road Traffic Act has yet been put forward. Until a nationwide framework is in place, regional pilot projects and the legal review of the test cases from Rhineland-Palatinate will remain the key test for any possible expansion.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).