Provida
ProVida is a common police in-car speed measuring system. It'll be familiar to anyone who's seen reality police TV programmes such as Police-Camera-Action! or Road Wars, owing to the fact that its video recording capability produces a first-person view of pursuits and so is very popular with TV companies!
The system consists of three main components:
- Video display
- Control unit
- Integrated video recorder
Display
Below you can see what the recorded display of the ProVida system looks like, and the information shown on it. All of the information in the bottom left hand corner of the frame refers to the "target vehicle's speed", as calculated by the ProVida system. The system's controls are illustrated below.
On our traffic video there are zeros displayed here for the entire seven minutes; this indicates that the speed measurement system was never operated!
Click here to view the image full-size
Controls
Police Pilot
The ProVida Police Pilot (illustrated here) is the control unit for the ProVida system. It's been designed to be very simple to use. When recording a target vehicle's speed there are only four buttons to worry about - and in normal use just the red and white ones will do!
- Distance - start/stop distance measurements
- Time - start/stop the timer
- Synchronised - start/stop time and distance
- Reset all measurements
ACPO guidelines describe how it should be operated.
Main Unit
The ProVida Main Unit (illustrated below) allows the police officer to switch the system on, select the operating mode, and make other adjustments.
It also has the in-car display that you should be invited to view if you're stopped, so that they can point out your offence to you on the video.
Click here to view the image full-size
Operation
These links will take you to some photographs of a ProVida system in use:
- The camera installation
- Police Pilot and screen - image 1
- Police Pilot and screen - image 2
- Police Pilot in use
- VASCAR markers on the carriageway
Information
Page updated: 5 Apr 2006
