Beijing pilots illegal-honking detectors

Drivers who indiscriminately use their car horns in future could find themselves being booked thanks to a system of detectors being installed along the Chinese capital’s key areas by the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, according to Beijing Youth Daily.

“The detectors consist of three parts, namely, a microphone array acquisition device, an electronic capture and a LED prompt system. Combining the three systems, we can distinguish between the sounds of horns, brakes and engine noise, etc.,” said Li Jianfeng, deputy director of the Scientific and Technical Information Department of the bureau.

“The detectors can accurately collect honks.” Li said. “Even parallel vehicles can also be identified based on their position in each lane; the recognition locator feature can reflect the direction the honks are coming from, so there will be no misjudgment.”

The system photographs the number plate of the offending vehicle so that the driver can be tracked down and prosecuted.

Honking horns have long been an irritating contributor to Beijing’s noise pollution levels.

According to The Measures of Beijing on the Implementation of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Road Traffic Safety, violation of the provisions in regard to indiscriminate honking will incur a fine of 100 yuan (US$14.76).