What are these new road cameras in Victoria really for? Here’s what to know

As part of its 2021–2030 Road Safety Strategy, which aims to halve road deaths by 2030 and eliminate them entirely by 2050, Victoria has begun trialling a new type of road safety camera across several suburbs. But the lack of clarity around their purpose has raised concerns among traffic experts and motorists.

The Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) confirmed to Yahoo News Australia that new “mobile road safety trailer cameras” are currently being tested in seven Victorian suburbs, including Toorak, Caulfield South, and Port Melbourne.

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What’s new? No one knows for sure

Despite public confirmation of the trial, officials have not disclosed exactly what traffic offences the new cameras are monitoring or how the technology differs from existing equipment. A DJCS spokesperson told Yahoo News that the goal of the trial is to ensure the cameras are "accurate, safe, and operationally effective." However, during the testing period, the cameras will not issue fines.

RACV also wants more clarity

The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) voiced concern, with Head of Policy James Williams telling Yahoo News that they support tech-based safety initiatives, but want more details from the government.

“Enforcement activities and locations should always be based on safety outcomes, not revenue raising,” he said.

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Where are the cameras being trialled?

According to DJCS, the new trailer-mounted cameras are being tested in these suburbs from 21 July 2025 through to 2026:

• Tottenham
  
• Port Melbourne
  
• Toorak
  
• Caulfield South
  
• Heatherton
  
• Healesville
  
• Oaklands Junction
  

During the trial, police will continue standard road enforcement, but the new camera units will only collect data and not issue any fines.

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Background: What are these cameras?

The DJCS website notes that new camera technology is regularly tested, including software and AI applications. Sometimes drivers notice these trials physically (like new camera trailers), but other times they occur as silent software upgrades.

In late 2024, a futuristic-looking device, believed to be a Vitrionic "enforcement trailer," caused confusion when spotted by drivers in Melbourne. According to the manufacturer, these units are used for flexible traffic enforcement at accident hotspots and hard-to-monitor areas.

This trial is the latest step in Victoria’s 2021–2030 Road Safety Strategy. The department said that all camera revenue goes into the Better Roads Victoria Trust, which funds road safety infrastructure projects.