Overview

• The city will begin driving the camera-equipped vehicle on September 18 in two Heidelberg districts.
• Baden-Württemberg created the legal basis for the program, with officials citing checks of up to 1,000 vehicles per hour versus roughly 50 on foot and expected safety benefits.
• Roof-mounted cameras read license plates and cross-check digital permits or tickets, so parking entitlements must be recorded electronically.
• Authorities say compliant-vehicle data is deleted immediately, suspected violations are stored only for proceedings, pedestrians are blurred, and the scan cars are clearly marked.
• An earlier trial at the University of Hohenheim scanned 1,237 spaces three times in 75 minutes, and other cities are testing or preparing rollouts, while public debate focuses on privacy and municipal revenue motives.