Dick Schoof, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, visited Bengaluru Traffic Police’s Traffic Management Centre on February 20 to discuss the Actionable Intelligence for Sustainable Transformation Management (ASTraM) system. Developed with Dutch company Arcadis, ASTraM uses CCTV and open data to predict traffic trends in real time. Several cities have shown interest in this technology.
On February 20, Dick Schoof, the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, toured the Bengaluru Traffic Police’s Traffic Management Centre. There, he learned about the Actionable Intelligence for Sustainable Transformation Management (ASTraM) system, created in partnership with the Dutch firm Arcadis. This tool gathers data from CCTV footage and open sources to track and forecast traffic patterns across Bengaluru's busy roads in real time.
ASTraM differs from services like Google Maps, which offer current congestion updates but lack prediction features. It spots congested zones, groups them, and notifies officers every 15 minutes. The system handles both regular and unexpected traffic jams, aiding in proactive policing and incident alerts.
Across India, similar technologies are in use. Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) helps spot violators in cities. The Greater Chennai Traffic Police employs an integrated traffic regulation system (ITRS) with AI and live video for better management and tracking repeat offenders.
These intelligent systems process diverse data quickly, highlighting areas needing urgent action. They support planning for events like processions or disruptions, surpassing reliance on GPS apps or social media reports. Such tools may also avert accidents linked to navigation errors, such as drivers routed to unsafe bridges.
Recent developments include Udupi police's plan for 150 surveillance cameras in a contactless monitoring setup to catch signal jumps, dangerous driving, and seatbelt violations. On the Mysuru-Bengaluru National Highway, 25 Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) cameras detect breaches.
In Delhi, AI cameras enforced a ban on old vehicles to curb pollution last year. Kerala's 2023 rollout of 726 AI cameras in high-risk spots faced challenges, including duplicate fines and speed limit mix-ups, sparking backlash and initial fine waivers. Evaders sometimes obscured plates. From June 2023 to June 2024, fines totaling ₹437 crores were issued to nearly 68 lakh drivers, but only ₹80 crores were recovered.
Digital rights groups highlight risks of errors, privacy breaches, and cyber threats from expanded surveillance. A Deloitte report notes predictive policing's controversy in the West, contrasted with greater acceptance in Asia and Latin America. During his visit, Schoof expressed surprise at the volume of accessible data, including from open sources and infrastructure.