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The Detrans of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro implemented in May 2026 artificial intelligence cameras that detect drivers without seat belts and using cell phones while driving.
According to Detran-SP, the system caught 1 in every 4 drivers in the first weeks of operation.
Therefore, citations in both capitals increased 4 times in volume between February and May 2026 with the expansion of the cameras.
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The program started on Avenida 23 de Maio, in downtown São Paulo, on February 1, 2026.
According to data from Detran-SP, 87,450 fines were issued by the system in São Paulo in the first 90 days.
The fine for using a cell phone while driving is R$ 293.47 with 7 points on the driver’s license, according to the Brazilian Traffic Code.
Detran-SP Director Wagner Fernandes announced expansion to 50 avenues
The general director of Detran-SP, Wagner Fernandes, announced in May 2026 the expansion of the cameras to 50 avenues in São Paulo.
According to Fernandes, the system uses Brazilian software developed by the startup HinovaTech, based in Belo Horizonte.
Therefore, the program is the first of its kind implemented by a state Detran in Brazil on a large scale.
Each camera cost R$ 18,500 and has a 94% accuracy in detecting cell phones while driving, according to tests by the University of São Paulo (USP).
Additionally, the system operates 24 hours with infrared and captures the license plate, model, and color of the vehicle in fractions of a second.
How AI recognizes the cell phone hidden at steering wheel level
The HinovaTech algorithm was trained with 1.2 million images of drivers using cell phones while driving.
According to the company, the system recognizes a cell phone at steering wheel level even when the driver tries to hide it with their hand.
Therefore, the system’s accuracy reaches 94% according to USP tests, with a false positive rate of only 3.2%.
Detran-RJ: 47,500 fines in 60 days in the southern zone of Rio
Detran-RJ implemented the system 30 days after São Paulo, on March 1, 2026.
According to the agency, 47,500 fines were issued in 60 days in the southern zone of Rio de Janeiro.
The cameras are on Avenida Atlântica in Copacabana, Avenida Vieira Souto in Ipanema, and Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas.
Therefore, Detran-RJ projects to collect R$ 31 million in fines by the system in 2026.
Rio’s Secretary of Transport, André Lazaroni, stated in a press conference that the system reduced accidents involving cell phones by 18% in the southern zone.
Why Brazilian drivers use cell phones while driving 4 times more
The Brazilian Association of Traffic Medicine (ABRAMET) estimates that 30% of Brazilian drivers regularly use cell phones while driving.
According to the National Road Safety Observatory (ONSV), using a cell phone while driving increases the risk of accidents by 4 times.
Therefore, Brazil recorded 1,687 deaths in accidents linked to cell phone use in 2025, according to data from DENATRAN.
The number represents 8.2% of the total 20,450 traffic accident deaths in the country that year.
How much each citation costs the Brazilian driver
The fine for using a cell phone while driving is classified as a very serious offense.
According to the Brazilian Traffic Code, the fine is R$ 293.47.
Therefore, drivers lose 7 points on their driver’s license, potentially having their license suspended.
The fine for driving without a seat belt is R$ 195.23 and results in 5 points on the driver’s license.
- Cell phone while driving: R$ 293.47 + 7 points (very serious)
- Without seat belt: R$ 195.23 + 5 points (serious)
- Without child seat: R$ 293.47 + 7 points (very serious)
- Speeding up to 20% over: R$ 130.16 + 4 points (medium)
- Speeding over 50%: R$ 880.41 + 7 points (very serious)
According to DENATRAN, the Brazilian driver’s license point system suspends the license at 20 points within 12 months.
For other news on regulation, see the Senatran app that reduced CNH issuance and the new Inmetro label for refrigerators.
HinovaTech projects expansion to 12 Brazilian states by 2027
The startup HinovaTech, founded in Belo Horizonte in 2019, projects expansion to 12 Brazilian states by 2027.
According to CEO Rafael Coelho, the company has signed contracts with the Detrans of Paraná, Santa Catarina, Minas Gerais, and Bahia.
Therefore, more than 350 Brazilian cities should have AI cameras monitoring drivers by the end of 2027.
The total investment projected by the state Detrans amounts to R$ 480 million over 4 years.
The AI camera program of the São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro Detrans confirms the advancement of Brazilian electronic surveillance.
However, traffic law specialists warn that the system needs clear legal validation to avoid mass challenges in special traffic courts.
Nonetheless, according to the São Paulo Public Defender’s Office, the system meets legal requirements for electronic surveillance as long as it respects the due administrative process of Law No. 9.503/97.
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