SMRT's new AI-powered bus control centre flags sleepy drivers, harsh braking
More than 1,500 fatigue alerts have been flagged since last year.
SMRT, Singapore's public transport operator, has launched a new AI-powered Bus 4.0 control centre, which has been operational since June and oversees over 1,200 buses from three of its depots. The centre uses artificial intelligence to monitor buses and passengers, flagging risks such as drowsy drivers, harsh braking, and vehicles encroaching into bus lanes.
The system employs on-board cameras to detect signs of drowsiness in drivers, such as prolonged eye closure, yawning, and head nodding, sending real-time alerts to the control centre. Additionally, the centre can identify when a wheelchair user boards a bus, ensuring the wheelchair is parked and secured before the bus moves off.
The AI-enabled system aims to prevent incidents by allowing service controllers to identify risks early and act upon them, rather than responding only after they occur. SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming highlighted that the new system focuses on what needs attention, shifting from monitoring everything to managing what matters.
Brief written by urgent.news from CNA - Singapore's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
