Navigation systems that warn of safety cameras and mobile speed surveillance banned!

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Please see the article below. I would say it is hard to enforce and causes all sorts of privacy related issues. Anyway - be warned.

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Since January 10th this year, it has become illegal to use a PND in Switzerland, to warn of safety cameras and mobile speed surveillance locations.

The Swiss police are currently actively searching for navigational systems with any type of camera pre-warning that are being used while driving. When such a device is found, the device is confiscated and destroyed and the motorist can also expect a fine. Not only has the use of these warning devices been banned, but their production, import or sale has also become illegal. Swiss road authority ASTRA announced these measures on January 8th.

This legislation has led to a lot of commotion and questions in both Switzerland and abroad. Owners of PND’s want to know exactly which units are now outlawed, and under what conditions the new measures can be enforced.

In short: the regulations apply to all systems, of all types which can enable speed camera warnings. ASTRA has released a document with answers to frequently asked questions.

As if things weren’t bad enough, the Swiss government have already ordered shopkeepers to stop selling the navigational systems that now appear to be illegal. Retailers have received a list of banned systems, which includes devices by TomTom, Garmin, Mio, Navman, Medion, Route66, Packard Bell, Sony and ViaMichelin where the camera positions are included. Investigations are currently underway to determine whether these new rules are actually legal under the Swiss justice system.

TomTom sent us the following reaction:

“We are aware that the Federal Highways Department (ASTRA) has issued a statement related to GPS navigation and safety camera alerts.

However, TomTom develops all of its products and services with ease of use and safety as a priority and we believe that our safety camera solution enhances road safety and security in Switzerland. We believe our safety camera services are fully legal to use and to sell. As a matter of course however, we are working with ASTRA to fully understand their view on the current legal situation.”

Foreigners on holiday in Switzerland, or who are merely passing through the country, will now have to be very careful. The use of navigational devices itself has not been made illegal, nor have systems which can determine the position of speed cameras. It’s just that this data cannot be used when on Swiss soil, and the navigational system may not contain data on cameras.

source: http://www.yournav.com/content/n/270...itzerland.html

2
There is a lot more to this than meets the eye. This is virtually unenforceable. I have some waypoints marked using my knowledge (on-top fix when driving past) of the location. If they are saying that I am no longer able to go where I please and where I have been before then that has implications for my freedom of movement. I await the test case with interest.

dave

3
yes, radar detectors have been clear for a while; GPS-based ones are also on the banned list as well as GPS systems with POI reflecting camera sites.

www.radar.ch is advertising an "accident black spot" warning device. It knows of blackspots and not camera sites and is IMO "borderline"

GPS Inforad is what my mate has

4
still Lob.. ?

I understood that to be strictly GPS units that have an updatable capability to detect "mobile" cameras only. . .

www.radar.ch are still claiming their amigo device is fully legal.

5
Most gps units have proximity warnings that can either sound an alarm when you come with a defined distance of the point, or away from the point. The latter is useful for when you are dragging anchor, or trying to put some space between you and the ugly girl at the bar.

You can of course defined these yourself either as Waypoints or Points of Interest. A key point here is (in the Garmin world at least) that Waypoints are part of the user application data, and POI databases are considered part of the map and an element of a database. This would be key in assessing your use of the speed camera "data".

dave

6
Exactly, and what about data protection issues. I most countries you will need a court order to inspect someone's digital files but I am not a lawyer. Anyone any views on this aspect?

7
I have a built in Gatso detector, when ever I'm in the car and see a bright flash, I know I'm near one . Is this affected by the ban, or should I drive with my eyes shut just in case?

8
My local radio station gives out live messages telling drivers to beware of speed cameras and where they are operating. I suppose this would also be illegal eh?

9
Wow!!

Has anyone read the FAQ - specially Question 13:

Meaning, that if someone wants to drive through Switzerland and has a GPS with POI of speeding cameras & redlights, the customs can confiscate the GPS device AND criminal proceedings.

I wonder how they are going to do that - how is i.E. a holiday maker suppose to know about this?

10
It seems like it ... or are they expected that you dismount it from your car?!?

11

12
No, not according to the FAQ Question 7 < http://www.surfinagain.com/images/astrafaq.pdf >). According to that warnings via radio, SMS, Pager & TwixTel are not yet prohibited.

13
I rely on my Eyeball Mk I. It works, and they can't confiscate it. Then again I have the advantage of having played both sided of this game.

14
surfin again?

isnt that a jan and dean appreciation website ??

Incidentally radar.ch ARE still of the opinion their device is legal. . . .

However that seems irrelevant to me as I don't see how it can be enforced. . .

And the amigo is the least of my problems. . . . ;-)

15
Incidentally I AM one of those holiday makers who is looking to buy a Nat Sav system to tour Europe in hired cars with. From recent research into 'which one to buy', it seems as though the radar device location warnings supplied by the mainstream companies (eg TomTom, Garmin, etc) now do NOT include Switzerland.

IF this is really the case, would such a GPS device (has radar/speed camera location warnings for UK/France/etc, but NOT for Switzerland) still be confiscated if I were to drive through Switzerland with it??

Unfortunately I don't read German or French or Italian fluently, so have had to rely on the fairly garbled 'Yahoo Babel Fish' translations of the ASTRA FAQ web page... Would therefore be most grateful for any clearer insight into this before I buy!

16
Hi,

I am buying a car this christmas and I was planning to buy a tomtom GPS along,

I am a bit concerned now, which model or brand (itself) would be legal to buy in switzerland ,

I think in various maps websites itself there are indications about RADAR positions on motorways...so how come having such indications in GPS could be illegal

Appreciate if some one can advise which brand of GPS is legal to buy...

in order to be placed on the correct position and place to avoid fine (again due for incorrect position in windscreen).

Thanks

Harish

17
This part has been discussed here:

Satellite navigation position IN the car - legalities

18
All are legal to buy in Switzerland. The GPS companies have succumbed to Swiss law and even if you buy a GPS with speed camera warning in another country it will not have the location of Swiss cameras on it. I recently purchased a Garmin Nuvi and it has the camera databases for France and other countries on it, but not Switzerland. The Swiss police do not care if you have speed camera warnings for other countries providing there is none for Switzerland stored.

Should you want to get a databse of Swiss cameras, google might just find you what your looking for. You can put them into your GPS as points of interest with a proximity warning... and hopefully plod should be non the wiser as he knows that the manufacturers are not supplying swiss camera databases anymore.

19
every GPS on sale in local Swiss stores is legal to buy in Switzerland

Have a look at MediaMarkt, they have lots on display. Then shop around for the best prices

20
My Tom Tom has the Swiss cameras installed, which I downloaded from TomTom home. I don't normally use the TT much as the new car has built in satnav.... which isn't as good, and only if it can't find what I want.

Will the Swiss rozzers be ok with the cameras deselected in TT, or would they insist on me uninstalling them completely.