Photo: Target
Ever been disappointed by your radar detector not doing its job properly and getting you a ticket? First of all, shame on you for speeding and secondly, there’s a new device to detect police cars which should be close to 100 percent effective. It’s called the Target Blu-Eye and brings real-time reports of law presence about half a mile away.
The Target Blu-Eye is a small device that can be mounted on any car’s dashboard and it works by scanning TETRA radio signals. If you haven’t heard of that, it’s the special frequency used by the police, firefighters, ambulances and other government agencies.
So the device is some sort of those tinkered-with radios superheroes use to find out about crimes. However, the Blu-Eye isn’t letting you hear or interfere in the conversations carried over by the signal. It simply detects their emitters nearby and warns you via an audible and visual signal.
“This device is a passport to villainy and there is no legitimate reason for a law-abiding person to have one,” said Gwent Police Crime Commissioner Ian Johnston in an interview. “A criminal will carry out a drug deal, see a light on their dashboard and then ditch their illegal stash, only to pick it up when the police aren’t around – or a motorist will be speeding on the motorway, an alert will pop up and they’ll slow down.”
On the other hand, CBS Automotive, an UK distributor selling the device, says Target Blu-Eye was intended to prevent accidents by alerting drivers of approaching emergency vehicles, prepare and let them slip easier through traffic.
Moreover, the fact that Blu-Eye can’t make the difference between a police car and an ambulance, drivers or even criminals will have another reason to be a bit more mindful with their actions when the alarm goes off.
The last nail in the coffin is represented by the price of the gadget itself, being sold for £999 ($1,568 / €1,260). Which means the system won’t get as widespread as the police fears for.
So the device is some sort of those tinkered-with radios superheroes use to find out about crimes. However, the Blu-Eye isn’t letting you hear or interfere in the conversations carried over by the signal. It simply detects their emitters nearby and warns you via an audible and visual signal.
The cops already hate it
As you might think, police officers are totally against the system because it can be used by criminals to better smuggle drugs or steal things when the law isn’t around.“This device is a passport to villainy and there is no legitimate reason for a law-abiding person to have one,” said Gwent Police Crime Commissioner Ian Johnston in an interview. “A criminal will carry out a drug deal, see a light on their dashboard and then ditch their illegal stash, only to pick it up when the police aren’t around – or a motorist will be speeding on the motorway, an alert will pop up and they’ll slow down.”
On the other hand, CBS Automotive, an UK distributor selling the device, says Target Blu-Eye was intended to prevent accidents by alerting drivers of approaching emergency vehicles, prepare and let them slip easier through traffic.
No worries
Detecting hidden police cars behind bushes only comes as a bonus for drivers according to the distributors and even so, the cops shouldn’t be upset, because drivers have to be damn right stupid to do illegal things knowing about their presence. So, again, a safety feature.Moreover, the fact that Blu-Eye can’t make the difference between a police car and an ambulance, drivers or even criminals will have another reason to be a bit more mindful with their actions when the alarm goes off.
The last nail in the coffin is represented by the price of the gadget itself, being sold for £999 ($1,568 / €1,260). Which means the system won’t get as widespread as the police fears for.
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