Santa Monica, California, is the latest city to test the use of artificial intelligence camera technology to enforce parking laws, including keeping bus lanes free of cars parked in unwanted places.
The city's Big Blue Bus worked with Hayden AI on a 45-day pilot program that used cameras to detect and identify cars that were illegally parked.
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During the pilot program, the technology found 511 parking violations punishable with fines of nearly $300 each. No citations were issued using this technology during the pilot program.
“The question becomes how do we and other cities keep vehicles that should not be in the transit lane out of the lane,” Robert McCall, who oversees Community Engagement for the City of Santa Monica, told Los Angeles-based television station KTLA.
The two cameras from Hayden AI are installed on the windshield of the bus, with the images being processed using artificial intelligence on a computer box. The AI then processes the photo, flags the offending cars, and issues citations speedily.
The cameras from Hayden AI are being used in other cities, including New York City, and will soon be implemented in Washington, D.C., as part of an initiative to keep bus lanes clear in the nation's capital.
A contract between the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and Hayden AI, announced in April, will see 140 of the systems installed this summer, with the systems expected to be fully operational by the end of the year.
“We are honored to work with Metro to bring automated bus lane and bus stop enforcement to our nation’s capital,” Chris Carson, CEO and co-founder of Hayden AI, said in a statement at the time.
“Keeping bus lanes clear of illegally parked vehicles improves transit speeds and safety for riders. And making sure that bus stops aren’t used as parking spots will guarantee that riding the bus is accessible for all riders including people with disabilities,” he added.
The agreement between WMATA and Hayden AI is part of the D.C. Metro's Clear Lanes initiative, which seeks to keep bus lanes clear to improve speed and efficiency.
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"For people to use buses, we need them to be faster and more reliable. That can't happen if cars are blocking the bus lanes that are supposed to keep buses moving," Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said in a statement announcing WMATA's Clear Lanes initiative.
"Bus stop zones are equally important to keep clear so that buses can pull up to the curb so customers of all abilities have a safe way to board or exit," he added.