Camera fines and things to know

NGÀY ĐĂNG 22/01/2026

Võ Hồng Tiên

Are you sure you understand traffic cameras, AI cameras, and how this monitoring system works?

Many people are surprised to receive traffic violation notices even though they weren't stopped by traffic police at the time of the violation. This raises a series of questions: Which camera recorded the incident? Are all cameras on the road used for issuing fines? Do AI cameras "see" every violation?

In reality, traffic cameras aren't just individual cameras, but part of an intelligent traffic monitoring system. This article will decode how this system actually works, why some people are fined despite having cameras, and when camera data is legally sufficient to issue a fine.

The Nature of Traffic Cameras in the Traffic System

Not all cameras are traffic cameras for issuing fines.

A common misconception today is that all traffic cameras are used for issuing fines. In reality, many cameras only serve to observe traffic conditions, regulate traffic lights, analyze vehicle density, and assist in handling incidents. Without this understanding, people can easily become confused while traveling, misunderstand the role of cameras, and equate all surveillance systems with enforcement.

Traffic cameras for issuing fines are simply monitoring points that must simultaneously meet the following conditions:

• Approved within the traffic violation processing system
• Having a technically satisfactory configuration
• Connected to a legally qualified data processing center

How the cold fine camera works

The cold fine camera system is often deployed at key traffic locations such as: intersections, highways, overpasses, toll stations... to record images and videos of moving vehicles.

The operating mechanism includes 4 main stages:

The camera automatically records continuously and detects violations such as: running red lights, speeding, driving in the wrong lane, stopping and parking in violation of regulations,...
Using AI and ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology to accurately identify vehicle license plates in all weather and light conditions.

Image data, videos and violation information are encoded and sent to the Traffic Control Center (IOC) via a high-speed network connection.

The software automatically analyzes data, compares vehicle registration information, then transfers electronic records to the police or the violation handling agency.

Role in smart traffic monitoring system

In the Smart Traffic or Smart City model, the cold fine camera is an important link in the overall monitoring network:

• Enhancing the ability to monitor continuously 24/7, not limited by human factors.
• Automatic recording and fines help traffic participants comply with the law better, helping to reduce traffic congestion and accidents.
• Data from the camera is integrated into the smart urban operation system (IOC) to support traffic density analysis, traffic light regulation, and congestion prediction.
• Data collected from the system helps management agencies make appropriate investment and planning decisions.

Configuration & technology in the cold fine camera system

Overall configuration of the cold fine camera system

The overall configuration of this system not only includes surveillance cameras, but also a complete technological infrastructure including processing, storage, transmission, analysis and centralized operation equipment.

• Traffic surveillance camera: has the function of recording vehicles, recognizing license plates, detecting violations such as: running red lights, wrong lane, speed, stopping and parking...
• Edge processor (Edge AI/ NVR AI): has the function of processing video data on the spot, reducing bandwidth and center.
• Speed measuring unit (Radar/ Lidar Sensor): measures vehicle speed, detects speed violations.
• Controller & field equipment cabinet: helps protect and power the camera system, radar, network.
• Data transmission system: helps transmit image data, videos and violation information to the center.
• Central server: receives, stores, processes and analyzes image data from monitoring points.
• Violation management and handling software: has the function of analyzing images, comparing license plates, creating reports and fine records.
• Traffic monitoring center (IOC): centralized management interface, displaying maps, controlling and statistics.
• Storage & backup system: helps store data long-term, serving search and legal evidence.

Core technology in the cold fine camera system

ANPR license plate recognition technology

• Using AI Vision + Machine Learning to recognize license plates in many complex conditions (low light, high speed, rain and wind...).
• The system can distinguish different types of vehicles and vehicle speed.
• The accuracy rate can reach >98% with standard cameras.

AI technology detects violations

• Real-time frame analysis to detect red light running, wrong lane driving, wrong U-turn, illegal parking, etc.
• Deep Learning + Object Tracking application to continuously track vehicles from the time of detection to the time of recording evidence.

Edge Computing technology

• Instead of transmitting the entire video to the center, the camera and Edge AI device process it on the spot to reduce bandwidth and latency.
• Only transmit metadata and evidence of violations (photos, time, coordinates, type of violation) to the operation center.

Data storage and security technology

• Data is stored on NAS or Cloud Server system, applying RAID 5/6 standard to avoid data loss.
• Encrypted according to AES-256 / HTTPS / VPN Tunnel standard, ensuring information security.
• The system supports FIPS 140-2 security standard.

Connection and data transmission technology

• Using fiber optic network (Fiber Optic) for fixed lines and 4G/5G mobile network for remote or temporary locations.
• Support RTSP, ONVIF, MQTT, HTTP API protocols for easy integration with VMS or IOC systems of other manufacturers.

Procedure for handling violations through the cold fine system

Legal basis

The cold fine mechanism is stipulated in many legal documents, including:

• Circular 51/2022/TT-BGTVT: Regulations on the organization and management of traffic activities.
• Circular 65/2020/TT-BCA: Regulations on the tasks, powers, forms, and contents of patrols and controls of the Traffic Police.
• Circular 15/2022/TT-BCA: Procedure for handling administrative violations in the field of road traffic.
• Decree 135/2021/ND-CP: Detailing a number of articles of the Law on Handling of Administrative Violations.

Traffic violation fine procedure

Step 1: Detect traffic violations

Traffic police or automatic monitoring systems will detect and record violations such as: Running red lights, driving in the wrong lane, stopping and parking in violation of regulations, driving over the speed limit, not obeying traffic signals...

Data sources can come from: Surveillance cameras of police agencies or ITS centers, devices of other organizations and individuals or information sources on media or feedback from people.

Step 2: Check, analyze and identify violations

Authorities perform:

• Analyze image data to clearly identify license plate numbers, vehicle types, time and location of violations.
• Retrieve vehicle and vehicle owner information from the National Database on vehicle registration and population.
• In case the vehicle owner does not reside in the locality where the violation is detected, the violation file will be transferred to the police agency at the commune or district level where the vehicle owner resides for handling.

Principle of decentralization of handling:

• If it is under the authority of the commune-level police, the file will be transferred to the commune-level police.
• If it is beyond the authority or there is no electronic connection system, it will be transferred to the district-level police for handling.

Step 3: Notify the violator

After verifying the behavior, the violation notice will be sent to the vehicle owner in the following forms:

• A document sent to the vehicle registration address.
• Text message, email, or electronic notification via the National Public Service Portal.
• Request the violator to go to the police agency where the violation is detected or where he/she resides for settlement (according to Clause 2, Article 15 of Decree 135/2021/ND-CP).

Step 4: Coordinate to resolve and handle violations

When the violator or vehicle owner comes to work:

A competent officer (Traffic Police, Head of Commune/District Police) shall draw up a record of administrative violations within 03 days from the date the violator is identified.

• Issuing a decision on administrative sanctions within 10 working days as prescribed in Clause 2, Article 4 of Circular 15/2022/TT-BCA.
• Guiding the violator to pay the fine and complete the procedures in accordance with legal regulations.

Step 5: Updating the handling results and closing the file

After handling:

The Commune/District Police must notify the handling results to the agency where the violation was detected.

• Update the handled status on the Traffic Police Department's website (C08).
• Notifying the end of the warning to the inspection agency to remove the violation status on the vehicle management system.

KPS - Smart Traffic Monitoring Solution Provider

With 15 years of experience in the field of security - surveillance - smart technology infrastructure, KPS is proud to be a strategic partner and official distributor of many of the world's leading brands in the field of traffic cameras, central operating systems and ITS solutions.

KPS provides comprehensive off-the-shelf fine camera solutions, meeting international standards and strict requirements of key traffic projects in Vietnam. From design consulting - equipment supply - system integration - operation & maintenance, KPS is committed to bringing practical efficiency, high accuracy and long-term reliability to management agencies, traffic control centers and smart cities nationwide.

With comprehensive deployment capacity, KPS builds a synchronous product - solution ecosystem, capable of integrating and operating uniformly in large-scale projects such as: Smart Traffic, Smart Building and Smart Security.

KPS ecosystem includes:

• Surveillance Camera System: AI Camera, fine camera, VMS, central monitoring solution (IOC).
• Alarm & Security System: Motion sensor, intrusion warning, public area safety solution.
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