Coming to a city near you - Noise Detection Cameras

In order to crack down on noisy, illegally modified car mufflers and exhaust systems, New York City lawmakers are expected to pass a new bill soon allowing the installation of noise cameras across the city, which have already proven to be effective in cities around the world.

Noise cameras—also known as acoustic cameras—use microphones to detect loud noises that exceed a certain threshold, and if the microphone picks up a sound from a vehicle exceeding the limit, the camera will take a video of the vehicles.

The bill, dubbed the “Stop Spreading the Noise ”Act, is aimed at targeting illegal mufflers and exhaust systems, and had a year-long pilot program in New York City, where over 70 drivers were ticketed for excess noise.

The cameras are activated when they detect a noise of 85 decibels or more at a distance of 50 feet or more, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection reports.

The penalties range from an $800 fine for first time offenders, up to a $2,625 fine for repeated offenses, according to AP News.

This is the newest effort by New York legislators to subdue illegal car modifications, after a New York state law went into effect in 2022, which raised fines for illegally modified mufflers and exhaust systems from $150 to $1,000.

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