Google Glass lets parking wardens scan for fines in seconds

Finland-based Vincit’s app works with Google Glass to scan the registration numbers of parked cars and check parking fees.

Traffic wardens in Tampere, Finland, are now using Vincit’s app and Google Glass devices to vastly increase the number of parked cars they are able to check each hour. While this is good news for the city’s bank account, the app is likely to be received with far less enthusiasm by residents and visitors.

First, wardens focus the Google Glass on a car’s registration number. Then, the app will identify the vehicle and scroll through the EasyPark database to check whether the driver has paid to park using the mobile system. Depending on the results, wardens may then manually check if the driver used the pay-and-display machine. If the allotted time has expired or the space was never paid for, wardens can issue a ticket.

Not only can wardens now scan hundreds of cars per hour, they are also much less likely to make mistakes. Other cities in Finland have expressed interest in using the app, as have cities in Australia and Sweden.

Developers of the app say they plan to continue improving the service, with long-term plans to replace human traffic wardens with drones. Could the system be combined with the face-scanning police cars of China?