India Proposes AI Integration for Enhanced Road Safety and Traffic Management

Gadkari Proposes AI Road Safety New Plan Despite Trial Hiccups

Disclaimer: This content generated by AI & may have errors or hallucinations. Edit before use. Read our Terms of use Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways proposed the need to improve road safety through the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He made this proposal during his address at the 12th Edition of the Traffic InfraTech Expo. According to the press release, India experiences around 5 lakh accidents each year. Many of these fatalities occur among individuals aged 18 to 36. Additionally, Gadkari noted that road accidents cause an estimated economic loss of 3% of the country's GDP. To tackle this issue, Gadkari expressed interest in collaborating with Indian startups to integrate advanced engineering solutions and promote the adoption of AI in road safety initiatives. He also announced the government's decision to appoint experts from the private sector to collaborate in developing technological solutions. iRaste: Government of India's initiative to reduce road fatalities by 50% Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched the "iRASTE" project, an AI-powered initiative, on a pilot basis, aimed at reducing road accidents by 50% in Nagpur, Maharashtra. iRASTE focuses on vehicle safety, mobility analysis, and road infrastructure safety to move towards a "Vision Zero" accident scenario, reported India Today. The initiative will equip municipal vehicles with collision avoidance technology, potentially reducing accidents and near misses by up to 60%. It will conduct studies to recommend engineering fixes for accident-prone areas (black spots). Moreover, an AI system will monitor road infrastructure continuously. How are states faring with AI traffic management systems? The Safe Kerala Project is a road safety initiative in Kerala that aims to reduce traffic violations and road accidents. The project uses 726 AI cameras to detect traffic violations. The cameras analyze videos and images to enforce penalties. These cameras mainly identify traffic violations, including riding a two-wheeler without a helmet, not wearing a seatbelt, exceeding the passenger limit on two-wheelers, using mobile phones while driving, and running red lights. In June 2023, officials implemented AI cameras. Reportedly, within the first 12 hours of operation, the cameras recorded 38,520 violations. The first month's results were promising, with AI cameras reporting over 2 million traffic violations and authorities issuing 128,740 challans. However, several cases emerged of AI cameras wrongly identifying traffic violations. For instance, a biker received a challan for overspeeding and the speed mentioned was 1240 km/h. In other instances, AI cameras penalised drivers for not wearing seat belts because they couldn't detect them due to their beards or dark clothing. The Kerala govt entered into a partnership with Keltron, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) to implement the AI camera system. However, The Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (Keltron) is facing scrutiny due to allegations of overpricing its AI surveillance project for roads in Kerala and subcontracting the work to unqualified private entities. From the 726 AI cameras installed across the state, fines collected over the course of a year amounted to Rs. 365 crore, reported in May this year. In April this year, reports indicated that Keltron had halted the issuance of challans. According to the contract with the government, Keltron had to issue 25 lakh fine challans for one year. However, they ceased issuing challans after traffic violations surpassed 50 lakhs. Despite the halt in issuing challans, the AI cameras continue to operate throughout the state. This year, Bengaluru was reported as the most congested city in India by TomTom Traffic Index. It reported a congestion level of 63% in Bengaluru and the average citizen lost 132 hrs a year due to traffic. Subsequently, Bangalore police brought in AI systems to ease traffic congestion and manage traffic violations. However, in March this year, it was reported that AI traffic cameras failed the accuracy test. The camera installed under the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) had detected only a 75% to 80% accuracy in catching non-helmet rule violations. A realisation that prompted the Bengaluru Traffic police to manually recheck all violations to weed out the errors flagged by the system. Both Kerala and Karnataka's instances highlight the limitations of automated enforcement. Despite this, many states have started to integrate AI into their traffic management systems.

Govt proposes use of AI, innovative tech to check traffic violations: Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi: The government is proposing to use artificial intelligence (AI) and other innovative methods to check traffic violations and ensure that penalties are levied accurately, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday. Addressing the 12th edition of the Traffic InfraTech Expo, the minister outlined plans for upgrading toll collection methods, including the exploration of satellite toll systems, which would improve efficiency and ensure transparency in toll collection. Gadkari said road safety cannot be achieved without integrating advanced engineering solutions, enforcement of laws, and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies like AI. He said the government has decided to appoint experts from the private sector to collaborate on developing technological solutions to enhance road safety. "A dedicated expert committee will evaluate proposals from startups and industry leaders, ensuring that the best ideas are implemented," the minister said. According to Gadkari, the committee has been directed to finalise its evaluations within three months, aiming for rapid improvements in the sector. The minister also emphasised the government's commitment to maintaining high standards, particularly in the use of surveillance technology like cameras. He said quality and standards would not be compromised, regardless of whether solutions come from large or small companies. Gadkari also encouraged small firms with innovative technologies to participate in government tenders, stressing the importance of cost-effectiveness while maintaining profit margins without exploitation. With the best technologies, he said, India can achieve transparency, reduce costs and significantly enhance road safety. Gadkari called upon all stakeholders to come together to address road safety issues in India, noting that the country sees some 500,000 accidents each year, resulting in numerous fatalities. More than half of these casualties are in the 18-36 years age group, he said, adding that the economic loss due to road accidents is estimated at 3% of the country's GDP.

Government proposes use of AI, innovative tech to check traffic violations: Nitin Gadkari

Road ministry decides to double 'defect liability period' under EPC contracts to 10 years: GadkariThe government is proposing to use Artificial Intelligence and other innovative methods to check traffic violations and ensure that penalties are levied accurately, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday. Addressing the 12th edition of the Traffic InfraTech Expo, the minister outlined plans for upgrading toll collection methods, including the exploration of satellite toll systems, which would improve efficiency and ensure transparency in toll collection. Gadkari noted that road safety cannot be achieved without integrating advanced engineering solutions, enforcement of laws, and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). Highlighting the ministry's approach to enhancing road safety, he said that the government has decided to appoint experts from the private sector to collaborate on developing technological solutions. "A dedicated expert committee will evaluate proposals from startups and industry leaders, ensuring that the best ideas are implemented," the minister said. According to him, the committee has been directed to finalise its evaluations within three months, aiming for rapid improvements in the sector. Gadkari also emphasised the government's commitment to maintaining high-quality standards, particularly in the use of surveillance technology like cameras. He assured that quality and standards would not be compromised, regardless of whether solutions come from large or small companies. Further, the minister encouraged small firms with innovative technologies to participate in government tenders, stressing the importance of cost-effectiveness while maintaining profit margins without exploitation. With the best technologies, he said, India can achieve transparency, reduce costs, and significantly enhance road safety. Gadkari called upon all stakeholders - government, private sector, and startups - to come together to address urgent road safety issues in India. He underscored the alarming statistics of road accidents in India, noting that the country experiences around 5 lakh accidents each year, resulting in numerous fatalities. Gadkari highlighted that more than half of these casualties are in the age group of 18-36 years. The economic loss due to road accidents is estimated at 3 per cent of the country's GDP, he said. The minister stressed that improving road safety is a top priority for the government, and measures are already underway to address this issue.