Complaints over new mobile phone and seatbelt detecting cameras come just weeks after WA signed a contract to double their rollout.
The Western Australian (WA) government has confirmed it has signed a contract for six more trailer-based ‘multi-function’ cameras, along with multiple new fixed-camera sites.
The six portable trailer-based cameras are capable of using AI to simultaneously detect mobile phone usage, seatbelt non-compliance, point speed and average speed, as well as unregistered vehicles, according to the camera supplier Acusensus.
All of the six additional trailer-based cameras, bringing the state's total to 12, are expected to be operating on WA roads by September 2026.
Criticism of the new mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras has received widespread media coverage in recent days, with a range of listeners voicing concerns to ABC Perth radio last week about fines they consider unjust.
The cameras were at first operational in WA for eight months in 'caution mode' where they handed out only warnings, before beginning enforcement in October last year.
WA's Road Safety Commission is positive about the new cameras, with a spokesperson telling Drive: "The cameras are proving to be extremely effective and efficient.
"In fact, they are providing new insights into driver and passenger behaviour which will be the focus of more education and encouragement awareness campaigns," the spokesperson said.
WA's Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner said in a statement that their focus was: "On doing everything possible to keep people safe on Western Australian roads, which includes the use of technology, such as the new AI cameras."
Acusensus' mobile phone detecting cameras utilise artificial intelligence and were invented by Alexander Jannink, now Managing Director and Founder of Acusensus.
WA is one of the last states to receive mobile phone detecting cameras, with other states steadily adopting them since NSW became the first state to do so in 2019. The Northern Territory is currently the only state without mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras.
The initial contract for the trailer-based cameras was announced in October of 2024 and the cameras have been enforcing fines since October 8 2025.
The mobile sites are not the only locations where drivers could be fined for mobile phone and seatbelt offences. New fixed camera sites will detect spot speed, average speed between multiple points, and seatbelt and mobile phone use upon installation.
These new fixed camera sites will be in addition to fixed cameras already operating on the Kwinana Freeway at Gentilli Way (Salter Point) and Mill Point Road (South Perth).
The new site locations are expected on the main routes in and out of the Perth Metropolitan area, including on Indian Ocean Drive, Great Eastern Hwy, Brand Hwy, and Forrest Hwy.
In a presentation to investors this week Acusensus Managing Director Alexander Jannink said it would be some time before the new fixed sites began operating.
“So the announcement today in WA for fixed sites includes sites to be installed over the next I believe two years,” Jannink said.
“So there will be progressive installs throughout that sort of period. I don't think we're at a position where we could provide the number of sites, that would be up to the West Australian Government to release that kind of information.”
The value of the new contract expansions and extensions is approximately 24 million dollars, a slight increase on the $20 million dollar investment into road safety camera technology announced by the Western Australia Government last year.
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.
