Overview
- Transport Minister Steffen Bilger said Tuesday he will press for a federal change to the Straßenverkehrsgesetz to allow so‑called Handyblitzer after states asked the Bund for a unified, technology‑neutral rule.
- The devices, known as MonoCam, use a high‑resolution camera mounted above the road and real‑time AI to flag visible phones or typical hand‑held postures before human police officers review any suspected case.
- Only a few Länder have legal frameworks so far, with Rheinland‑Pfalz operating MonoCam in regular service since April 2025 and other states creating different, non‑uniform rules that the Länder say the Bund should replace.
- Key legal and privacy questions remain unresolved because the cameras photograph passing traffic before an offence is confirmed, so federal legislation must define which images may be kept, how long they may be stored, deletion rules, signage and independent oversight.
- Authorities cite pilot results and ADAC figures of roughly 400,000 recorded yearly phone violations to argue the systems could boost road safety, while drivers face existing fines of €100 and one point rising to up to €200, two points and a month ban for cases with danger or damage.