A stationary speed camera with a methanol fuel cell has been installed in Cologne for the first time in Germany. The speed measuring device on the B55a (article in German) does not require a fixed power supply and is powered by a fuel cell from the Munich-based company Siqens GmbH. The system uses modern laser technology and monitors several lanes on this accident-prone stretch of road. In the first few weeks, over 85,000 speeding offences were detected – with speeds of up to 181 km/h occasionally measured at the permitted 80 km/h. The city of Cologne is renting the system for three years. A second location is planned on the Zoobrücke bridge, where there is currently no power supply. The aim is to be able to better monitor dangerous stretches of road even without infrastructure.
The SIQENS Ecoport fuel cell provides a safe, reliable and low-maintenance energy source for the laser technology. This reduces operating costs while ensuring long-term availability.