Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Assistance in Overcoming Complex Transportation Obstacles
In the rapidly evolving world of transportation, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being embraced as a tool to address some of the industry's most pressing challenges. From reducing traffic fatalities to improving air quality, AI is proving to be a game-changer.
However, for AI to be widely accepted and effective, transparency about its capabilities and limitations is essential. This transparency is crucial in earning public trust, a key factor in the successful implementation of AI in transportation.
Privacy-preserving techniques are also vital for smarter technologies. Measures such as automated facial redaction, strict data retention policies, and robust security measures are being implemented to ensure that privacy concerns are addressed.
Membership in the Forbes Technology Council, a prestigious body of world-class technology executives, is by invitation only. To qualify, one must be a seasoned technology executive with a proven track record of driving business growth through innovation, demonstrating successful impact on business growth metrics, and showing leadership in the technology and business innovation sectors.
One such leader is David Roberts, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Verra Mobility, a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions. Under his leadership, Verra Mobility is at the forefront of AI-enhanced traffic enforcement, focusing on changing behavior, not just issuing citations.
AI-enhanced stop-arm cameras, for instance, are helping protect children in school buses in Fairfax County, Virginia. These cameras use AI to identify and record instances of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses, a disturbingly common occurrence, with an estimated 50,000 drivers doing so each day in New York State.
AI is also being used to optimize routes for emergency vehicles, predict and prevent incidents before they occur, and continuously monitor network performance. By analysing multiple data streams simultaneously, AI enables transportation agencies to move beyond single-dimensional solutions.
However, human oversight remains essential in interpreting results and making final decisions in road safety systems. Every potential violation captured should continue to be reviewed by trained personnel in a human-in-the-loop approach.
Collaboration across traditional boundaries is required to create safer, more efficient mobility systems. Clear governance frameworks are needed to define how AI systems make decisions, what data they collect, and who has access to that information.
The most successful implementations of AI in transportation will prioritize principles like respecting privacy, improving safety, and earning public trust. The transportation future should balance technological sophistication with human-centered design, focusing on privacy while improving safety and recognizing technology as a tool for achieving human goals.
New York City's recent expansion of automated enforcement from 150 to 600 intersections provides unprecedented visibility into traffic patterns. This expansion, along with the implementation of mobile speed management programs for work zones, has led to significant improvements in traffic safety.
In conclusion, AI is proving to be a powerful tool in the transportation industry, helping to address some of its most pressing challenges. However, it is crucial that its implementation is guided by principles of transparency, privacy, and human-centered design to ensure that it is accepted and effective.
- David Roberts, as the President and CEO of Verra Mobility, leads a company that is at the forefront of AI-enhanced traffic enforcement, emphasizing behavior change rather than just issuing citations.
- In the finance industry, David Roberts' innovative approaches with AI could potentially be comparable to his success in transportation, optimizing routes for financial investments similarly to how Verra Mobility optimizes routes for emergency vehicles.
