Sodi Scientifica

Sodi Scientifica S.r.l. is an Italian company based in Calenzano, in the province of Florence, that designs, manufactures and services equipment for vehicular traffic control and the detection of road-traffic offences. Founded in 1964 by Fiorello Sodi and his wife Carla Sodi, the company is best known for having invented and patented the Autovelox®, the first Italian device for measuring vehicle speed for sanctioning purposes. The company states that it invented the Autovelox® in 1966 and has since produced traffic-control solutions, including manned and automatic stations for speed measurement and red-light enforcement. The firm's product range centres on high-technology road-safety systems: fixed and mobile speed-measurement posts, red-light violation detection, and related traffic-monitoring apparatus. Alongside hardware, Sodi Scientifica operates a specialised laboratory offering verification of functionality, installation, commissioning and maintenance services. It also runs the Sodi Academy, a programme of information and training days on road safety and the Italian Highway Code organised in collaboration with local authorities. Sodi Scientifica remains a privately held Italian limited company (S.r.l.) managed by the children of the founder, according to Italian Wikipedia. Its historical significance rests on the Autovelox® trademark, which over the decades has become a genericised term in Italian for speed cameras of any manufacture. The company positions itself as a long-established specialist combining tradition and technology in road safety since 1964.

Sodi Scientifica was founded in the 1960s by Fiorello Sodi and his wife Carla Sodi. Italian Wikipedia places the founding in the 1960s, while Wikidata and the company's own materials date it to 1964. From its foundation the company has been engaged in the research, production and commercialisation of apparatus for measuring the speed of motor vehicles with the aim of improving road safety. In 1966 Fiorello Sodi invented the first Italian model of the Autovelox, registering the name also as a commercial trademark. This device was the first method of measuring road speed for sanctioning purposes, patented under the name Autovelox. Over the years the term Autovelox became lexicalised in the Italian language and is now commonly used to indicate similar apparatus produced by other companies as well. The company is headquartered in Calenzano, in the province of Florence, and its management is entrusted to the children of the founder. It continues to operate a specialised laboratory for verification of functionality, installation, commissioning and maintenance, and runs the Sodi Academy programme of information and training days on road safety and the Highway Code in collaboration with local authorities.

• 1966

  Fiorello Sodi invents the first Italian model of the Autovelox, registering the name as a commercial trademark.

• 1964

  Sodi Scientifica founded by Fiorello Sodi and Carla Sodi.

Long-established Italian specialist in high-technology road safety and traffic enforcement, combining tradition and technology since 1964.

• Autovelox®

  The first Italian speed-measurement device for sanctioning purposes, patented in 1966; the name has become a generic term for speed cameras in Italian.

• Manned and automatic speed-measurement stations

  Fixed and mobile stations for measuring vehicle speed and enforcing speed limits.

• Red-light enforcement systems

  Systems for detecting red-light violations at intersections.

1. 1Sodi Scientifica - Leader nel controllo del traffico veicolaresodi.com
2. 2Sodi Scientifica - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Sodi Scientifica - Wikipedia (Italian)it.wikipedia.org