New Delhi, February 16 There is significant potential for integrating AI into the road and transport industry to help prevent accidents and address issues of vehicular pollution, a government official said on Monday.
Measures such as a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system and incorporating driving-in-school curriculum can help in this direction, Pankaj Aggarwal, an officer in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, said while speaking at the India AI Impact Summit in the national capital.
During a panel discussion on 'AI for Road Safety: Data-Driven Solutions for Enhancing Road Safety in India', he said that AI can play a significant role in preventing accidents and reducing fatalities.
Data indicates that speeding is the most common violation of traffic rules, he said. Therefore, capturing accurate data using AI and providing this evidence without human intervention can be beneficial, as the data currently recorded by a police officer is "not the actual data, as there are many other offenses that contribute to the accident..."
"With that intention, if there is a technology that allows the driver to correct themselves before any collision (through) vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology... there is significant potential for AI," the official said.
Enforcing traffic rules is also an issue, Aggarwal said, particularly in the context of issuing challans.
Furthermore, AI can help maintain accurate data regarding accidents and fatalities, he said, citing the example of Bihar, where data shows that fatalities are higher than the national average.
On pollution, Aggarwal said, "We are also developing an AI tool for this purpose, as environmental concerns are a major issue in urban areas."
Controlling pollution is also an area where the government is actively taking steps, as data can be misleading here.
He also proposed the idea of incorporating driving as part of the school curriculum through AI, as it can raise awareness among young people.
"IIT Madras is working on this to ensure that it becomes a mandatory part of the curriculum," he stated.