A
radar detector is an electronic device used by
motorists to detect if their speed is being monitored by
police or
law enforcement using a
radar gun. Most radar detectors are used so the driver can reduce the car's speed before being
ticketed for speeding. Only
doppler radar-based devices can be detected — other speed measuring devices including those using
ANPR,
piezo sensors, and
VASCAR technology cannot be detected.
LIDAR devices require a different type of sensor, although many modern detectors include LIDAR sensors. Most of today's radar detectors detect signals across a variety of wavelength bands: usually
X,
K, and
Ka. In Europe the
Ku band is common as well.