Los Angeles Metro will test a system this summer in which artificial intelligence-powered cameras on buses will identify cars to be ticketed for illegally parking in bus lanes, the Los Angeles Times reports. After two months of community outreach to “ensure that the public is aware of the purpose, timing and impacts of this new program,” the program is planned to go live by the end of the year. “Once cameras are installed, there will be a 60-day warning period for drivers. During the first 60 days, warning citations will only be used as informational notices and will not result in any violations,” the agency said. The program, designed by technology company Hayden AI, is meant to improve bus times, increase ridership and address mobility concerns. Metro’s Board of Directors approved an $11 million-contract with the company last year to roll out 100 camera systems. The agreement started in December and is supposed to last roughly five years.
The cameras will be mounted inside Metro bus windshields to monitor for parked vehicles in bus lanes and at bus stops, in order to help enforce new parking rules after L.A. City Council approved a fine last year for those who illegally park in bus lanes. So far about 15 of the cameras have been installed on buses serving two bus lines. While the AI-powered security cameras will constantly scan for illegally parked cars, Charles Territo, Hayden AI chief growth officer, said the technology is trained to record only when a potential violation is observed. Once a recording is made, it will be submitted to L.A. Department of Transportation, where a human will assess whether a ticket should be issued. The use of video imaging to enforce parking violations was legalized in 2021. Footage that does not include a parking violation must be destroyed within 15 days, the law states. Any recording of a parking violation can be retained for six months, or 60 days “after the final disposition of the citation.”