RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina State Highway Patrol began using artificial intelligence earlier this year in an effort to discourage commercial drivers from becoming distracted while driving. 

According to NCSHP, the technology in use is called the Acusensus Heads-Up solution device.

Used only on commercial motor vehicles, it identifies drivers who may not be obeying the hands-free law, and sends the information to a nearby deputy.

An NCSHP says, after reviewing fatal collisions involving commercial motor vehicles last year, the top contributing factor was the driver not slowing down and veering out of their lane.

April Dawson, a law professor at N.C. Central University, says the technology could be used as a deterrent.

“If commercial drivers know that they could be stopped and fined because there’s artificial intelligence that is looking to see if they are using their phones or not wearing a seat belt, then without a doubt, that’s going to cause more compliance,” Dawson said.

Dawson added, in the future, she wouldn’t be surprised if AI is used more frequently as a deterrent for the public at large.

But that could ultimately lead to lots of legal questions.

“We are definitely potentially going down a slippery slope,” Dawson said. “So there are certainly fourth amendment constitutional issues. Whenever we think about AI looking inside of a vehicle, not just checking the speed of a car, there’s a question as to whether that is unreasonable surveillance.”

The NCSHP currently states a traffic stop will only be conducted if the information from the device is substantiated, and that image is not shared with any other law enforcement entity. 

As of now, there are no plans to require the Heads-Up devices on non-commercial vehicles.