During the month, artificial intelligence assistance cameras attached to Los Angeles Metrobus generated around 10,000 citations for parking violations, according to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
The camera was first installed on the windshields of several Metrobus last year, but the first tickets were issued in mid-February. Initially, the only bus to have a camera was along the 720 line, along Line 212 from Hollywood/Grapes to Hawthorn/Lennox Station via Lovelair Avenue, and via Santa Monica via Wilshire Boulevard to downtown LA. It includes lines 70 that serves Olive Street and Grand Avenue, and lines 910 and 950 that serve Metro’s J-line.
According to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Department, AI-powered cameras scan illegally parked cars and edit videos of each violation, license plate photos, and time and location. Each quote is reviewed by a human.
At least $293 per violation, there is no artificial price tag on tickets.
Later in March, the program gave 3,093 quotes than cars blocking bus lanes or stops. That number more than doubled in the first two weeks of April when 6,681 citations were issued.
Before cameras were installed, officers usually issued around 570 tickets to block bus lanes each month, the transportation department told LAIST.
“Without enforcement, dozens of cars parked in the bus lane could delay dozens, as well as hundreds of riders, so this means not only issuing tickets, but the Metrobus runs on schedule and brings riders to their destination on time.
Designed by technology company Hayden AI, the program aims to improve bus time, increase ridership and address mobility concerns. Metro’s board of directors approved a $11 million contract with the company last year to deploy 100 camera systems. The contract begins in December and is expected to last for about five years.
Although AI-powered security cameras constantly scan illegally parked cars, Charles Territ, Hayden AI’s chief growth officer, said the technology is trained to record only if a potential violation is observed.
“If the bus is moving and no vehicles are parked in the lane, no data is recorded,” he said. “It records license plates and captures video of the event only if the system observes a vehicle illegally parked at a bus lane or bus stop.”
Similar programs are being used in Washington, DC and New York City as AI use continues to expand for travel safety.
Recently, Southern California’s regional rail system Metrolink has been granted $1.3 million to develop a security system equipped with AI to detect unexpected movements on tracks.
Times staff writer Colleen Charby contributed to this report.
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