Acusensus

{{Short description|Technology company developing distracted driving prevention}} {{Infobox company | name = Acusensus | logo = File:Acusensus Logo.png | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | logo_padding = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | trading_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang =  | romanized_name = | former_name = | type = | traded_as = | ISIN = | industry = Artificial Intelligence | genre = | fate = | predecessor =  | successor =  | founded = 2018 | founders = Alexander Jannink and Ravin Mirchandani | defunct =  | hq_location = | hq_location_city = Queen Street, Melbourne, Australia | hq_location_country = | num_locations = | num_locations_year =  | area_served =  | key_people = | products = | brands = | production = | production_year =  | services = | revenue = | revenue_year =  | operating_income = | income_year =  | net_income =  | net_income_year =  | aum =  | assets = | assets_year =  | equity = | equity_year =  | owner =  | members = | members_year =  | num_employees = 105 | num_employees_year =  | parent = | divisions = | subsid = | website = {{URL|https://www.acusensus.com}} | footnotes = }}

'''Acusensus''' is a technology company that provides automated recognition of drivers using mobile phones while driving in order to enforce traffic safety laws intended to prevent distracted driving.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mohn |first=Tanya |date=2022-04-19 |title=Can A.I. All but End Car Crashes? The Potential Is There. |language=en-US |work=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/19/technology/ai-road-car-safety.html |access-date=2022-12-12 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==History== Acusensus was founded in 2018 by Alexander Jannink and Ravin Mirchandani. It is headquartered in Queen Street, Melbourne, Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Contact Us About Road Safety Solutions and More |url=https://www.acusensus.com/contact-us/ |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=Acusensus |language=en}}</ref> Jannink was inspired to co-found the company after a friend riding a bicycle was killed by a driver who was allegedly driving drunk and using a cell phone.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Waters |first=Cara |date=2019-09-01 |title=Tragedy inspires Alex to tackle mobile phone use by drivers |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/small-business/tragedy-inspires-alex-to-tackle-mobile-phone-use-by-drivers-20190826-p52kxb.html |access-date=2021-11-18 |website=Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}}</ref> Jannink wanted to address issues of road safety, where fatality rates have been increasing since 2013.<ref name=":2" /> With Mirchandani, the chairman of Ador Powertron, an Indian industrial electronics company, raised $600,000 to launch the company, and enrolled it in an accelerator program at the University of Melbourne.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Pearce|first=Rohan|date=2019-09-23|title=Road safety: NSW says mobile phone detection program a 'world first'|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3458329/road-safety-nsw-says-mobile-phone-detection-program-a-world-first.html|access-date=2021-11-18|website=Computerworld|language=en}}</ref>

==Partnership== In 2018, Acusensus led a three-month-long trial in partnership with Transport for NSW to test its technology for detecting the illegal use of mobile phones while driving, such as texting or accepting incoming calls while holding the phone. The trial was a success, detecting the illegal use of mobile phones by 11,000 drivers, who were issued warning letters.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Walker |first=Christopher |date=2019-06-26 |title=Digital regulation: Transforming policy frameworks, implementation and delivery systems |url=https://www.ippapublicpolicy.org/file/paper/5cfd0ac7ccfb0.pdf |journal=International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP4)}}</ref> It was followed by an operational pilot in two Sydney locations from January to April 2019.<ref name=":0" /> Transport for NSW believes the pilot to have been the first of its kind in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |website=Transport for NSW|date=2022-09-29 |title=World first mobile phone camera detection pilot |url=https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/node/17136 |access-date=2023-01-08 |language=en-AU}}</ref> It successfully detected 100,000 drivers using a mobile device illegally among 8,500,000 vehicles checked.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-12-02 |title=AI cameras to catch texting Australian drivers |language=en-GB |work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50630763 |access-date=2023-01-08}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Frost |first=Adam |date=2019-12-20 |title=Thousands of drivers caught using a phone during first week of Australian program |url=https://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news/enforcement/thousands-of-drivers-caught-using-a-phone-during-first-week-of-australian-program.html |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=Traffic Technology Today |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The project drew scrutiny from the state's Privacy Commissioner, who raised concerns about the legality of collecting personal information of every individual in a vehicle that passed the pilot's cameras, even those that were determined to be non-offenders, and urged Transport for NSW to develop a policy that balanced the public interest in improving road safety with the risk of privacy harms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Sullivan |first=Matt |date=2019-07-18 |title=High-tech cameras to nab motorists catch eye of Privacy Commissioner |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/high-tech-cameras-to-nab-motorists-catch-eye-of-privacy-commissioner-20190718-p528dt.html |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref> Transport for NSW made the program permanent starting in December 2019.<ref name=":1" /> During the first three months, violators received warning letters, and enforcement via fines and demerit points began on 1 March 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mobile phone detection cameras - Mobile phone use - Staying safe |url=https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/mobilephones/technology.html |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=NSW Centre for Road Safety |publisher=Transport for NSW}}</ref>

==Recognition== Acusensus's technology has since been used in similar pilots in the United Kingdom<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-23 |title=Pioneering cameras that catch drivers on their phone to be trialed in Devon and Cornwall |url=https://www.devon.gov.uk/news/pioneering-cameras-that-catch-drivers-on-their-phone-to-be-trialled-in-devon-cornwall/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Devon County Council|language=en-GB}}</ref> and Canada,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-12 |title=Future of distracted driving technology makes Edmonton pitch |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/distracted-driving-technology-privacy-issues-1.5258774 |website=CBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Panza-Beltrandi |first=Gabriela |date=2022-09-13 |title=Could artificial intelligence catch distracted drivers in Edmonton? U of A piloting program |work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/distracted-driving-edmonton-pilot-cell-phone-2022-1.6581840}}</ref> and in a New South Wales trial that examined compliance with stop signs at railway crossings.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-06-23 |title=Camera trial reveals drivers failing to stop at regional NSW rail crossings with 'disturbing and alarming' regularity |language=en-AU |work=ABC News (Australia)|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-23/nsw-rail-crossing-camera-trial-poor-stop-sign-statistics-reveal/101176740 |access-date=2022-12-12}}</ref> In January 2023, Acusensus listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maddocks advises road safety technology developed Acusensus on IPO… |url=https://www.maddocks.com.au/insights/maddocks-advises-road-safety-technology-developed-acusensus-on-ipo-and-asx-listing |access-date=2023-03-04 |website=Maddocks |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Australian companies established in 2018 Category:Companies based in Melbourne Category:Software companies established in 2018