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Technology

Exclusive: AI to monitor UK roads for accidents or unusual behaviour

By Donna Lu

1 May 2019

A cctv camera

AI will keep an eye on some UK roads

Loop Images Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo

UK councils are using artificial intelligence to detect traffic accidents by monitoring CCTV camera footage. The aim is for the AI to alert traffic operators about incidents in real time, allowing them to act quickly.

This is one of the first uses of AI with public CCTV cameras to collect transport information in the UK, says Richard Cartwright of FlowX, a company working with the councils on the pilot schemes.

The system is trained to recognise nine different types of road user, including pedestrians, cyclists, cars…

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