T.N. to introduce AI-powered driver monitoring system on buses

The Tamil Nadu government is set to introduce an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered driver monitoring system on 500 buses on a pilot basis, as part of efforts to ensure road safety and to improve the skills of drivers.

The driver monitoring system would notice changes if any in the driver’s face such as head movements, eye gaze, and facial expressions and raise an alarm and help the drivers. “It would ensure reduce accidents to improve passengers’ safety,” Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar said the Assembly on Wednesday.

“The recordings would be studied to develop training modules for better driving skills of drivers,” he said. The State government would also install 360 degree cameras in 4,000 buses to help drivers deal with blind spot, to locate pedestrians and cyclists, he said.

The State government would increase the allocation of funds for undertaking steps to prevent road accidents in the State from ₹65 crore to ₹130 crore, Mr. Sivasankar said.

About 6,000 accident-prone locations have been identified across the State, where installation of traffic signals, development of roads were to be undertaken in the first phase, he said. As part of ‘Accident Free Tamil Nadu,’ 100 accident-prone roads would be identified for necessary action.