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Radar detectors were first introduced in the 1970s as a way for speedy drivers to avoid tickets by outmaneuvering police officers armed with radar guns. The premise is simple: the radar detector senses the radar gun’s signal and provides a beeping warning for the driver to slow down. Of course, police equipment has become more sophisticated in the past three decades, and radar detectors have kept pace. Here is a brief guide to the past, present and future of radar detectors.

Radar vs. LIDAR
Radar operates by bouncing radio waves off the car. The radar gun creates a wide beam that is easy to detect, making radar detectors extremely effective. LIDAR technology, however, replaces the wide radio wave with a narrowly targeted laser beam. Most modern radar detectors offer LIDAR detection as well. Due to the narrowness of the beam, however, LIDAR is much more difficult for detectors to catch. LIDAR is not yet in widespread use due to its higher cost and the reluctance of many officers to make the switch.

Radar Detector Detectors
As a means of fighting back against radar detectors, police forces have introduced radar detector detectors. These detectors are able to track the small electromagnetic signal that emits from all radar detectors. An early response by radar detector manufacturers was the radar detector detector detector, which warned the driver when a radar detector detector was in use. Today, however, most detectors operate at a frequency that is undetectable by detector detectors.

Radar and LIDAR Jammers
Radar and laser jammers allegedly work by sending out a signal that scrambles the officer’s radar or LIDAR readings. There has been a lot of debate on whether such devices actually work. More importantly, however, radar jammers are illegal under federal law. LIDAR jammers are illegal in many jurisdictions, but have not yet been banned by federal laws.

The Bottom Line
Radar and LIDAR detectors are currently legal in most, though not all jurisdictions. Research on the topic of safety varies widely, with some experts claiming that detector users actually have safer driving habits than non-users. Jammers, however, are illegal and should not be purchased.

If you are certain that detectors are legal in your area, and want to pick one up for your Certified Mercedes, look for a unit that tracks both radar and LIDAR and does not contain jammer equipment. Be careful where you mount the unit, as windshield mounting is illegal in some locales. Keep in mind that driving at or below or the speed limit is always the safest course of action.