Catalonia plans to introduce an AI-based monitoring system in 2027 to identify drivers using mobile phones on their laps, as part of the Servei Català de Trànsit’s (SCT) 2027 to 2030 Road Safety Plan. A summer pilot on the A-2 and AP-7 highways detected more than 8,500 suspected mobile-phone violations and more than 4,500 seatbelt infractions. These were automated detections, not fines issued during the trial.
The system uses two high-definition cameras, one horizontal and one overhead, mounted on mobile trailers, along with artificial-intelligence algorithms that analyze driver behavior. It can detect phone use even when a device rests on a driver’s lap rather than being held in view. SCT director Ramon Lamiel said this behavior is as dangerous, or more so, than holding a phone because it diverts the driver’s gaze from the road.
The pilot lasted just over a month, with the SCT deploying the technology on the A-2 and AP-7. The AI reviewed footage from 310,000 vehicles and flagged 8,500 mobile-phone violations, about 2.8% of those observed. Half of the flagged cases involved drivers looking at phones on their laps. Human reviewers identified 13,000 infractions, or 4.4% of the total. The comparison shows a gap between automated detection and human review as the system is refined.
The cameras also monitored seatbelt use, analyzing 410,000 vehicles. The AI detected 4,500 suspected violations, or 1.1%, while human checks found 6,100, or 1.5%. No fines were issued during the trial, which involved international partners in further developing the technology. Identifying a potential violation with an automated system and making a legally validated enforcement decision are separate steps. Spanish traffic rules prohibit mobile-phone use while driving under Article 18.2 of the General Traffic Regulations and Article 13.3 of the Traffic Law.
The camera rollout is part of a wider effort to reduce serious collisions on heavily trafficked routes. The SCT’s reported plans for 2027 include variable-speed measures on the AP-7, with a maximum of 100 km/h contemplated across a roughly 200-kilometre section between El Vendrell and Maçanet de la Selva. The agency also intends to use drones for aerial monitoring and strengthen automated controls for heavy vehicles. Mobile trailers can be moved to focus on high-risk stretches, complementing roadside enforcement campaigns in which officers target distracted driving, including phone, screen and headphone use.
Authorities say mobile-phone use is a factor in 25% of traffic accidents in Catalonia. National figures attributed to Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic reflect the broader road-safety concern: distractions were present in 444 fatal crashes in 2025, approximately one in three fatal collision cases. A 2026 control campaign recorded 3,816 mobile-phone-related violations. These figures show the scale of distracted driving. The Catalan pilot aims to improve detection of conduct that conventional roadside checks can miss.
The SCT is also testing AI for other road-safety uses, including systems that warn drivers about animals near roads. Devices have been installed on the N-260 at Garriguella and Cabanelles, as well as on the N-2 near Pontós, following an earlier pilot in three Alt Empordà locations. The driver-monitoring cameras are part of this broader shift toward automated hazard detection and traffic management, alongside human patrols and enforcement.
