By https://www.abc.net.au/news/bridget-mcarthur/101975508
Publication Date: 2026-03-05 21:09:00
A Queensland judge’s decision to throw out an AI-detected seat belt ticket has raised concerns that motorists across Australia may be being unfairly penalized by AI-powered road safety cameras.
Most Australian states now have some form of the new camera system, which uses AI to detect potential cell phone and seat belt violations and then sends fines to drivers.
Software engineer Hugo Burton, 22, received a violation notice late last year after his passenger slipped his seatbelt under his arm while driving.
22-year-old Hugo Burton represented himself in court and won. (Supplied: Hugo Burton)
Mr Burton represented himself in court in January, arguing it would have been impracticable and potentially unsafe to constantly monitor whether his passenger was wearing a seatbelt while driving.
In a recording of the court proceedings obtained by the ABC, Judge Kerry Magee agreed.
She said it was unreasonable to expect Mr Burton to constantly look over to check the shirt was being worn properly – especially when…
