In a bid to pre-empt road mishaps, Yogi government is planning to install Artificial Intelligence systems in its 12,500 plus public sector buses to assist the drivers. This ‘Sixth Sense’ technology will caution drivers if they are napping, over-speeding or the vehicle comes dangerously close with other vehicle or object.

A pilot project for the last six months is being run to assess the efficiency of the system. The technology is used on six buses, four from Lucknow to Delhi route and on two buses from Lucknow to Gorakhpur. There has been no accident involving these six buses fitted with AI technology.

Sensor fitted at the front of the bus continuously monitors object in the range of 180 feet and cautions the bus driver with a beep sound, in case of any danger of collision. Another sensor fitted near the steering wheel cautions bus driver in case of napping, over-speeding. The Artificial Intelligence technology automatically starts applying breaks in case the driver ignores the beep alert to avoid collision.

The sensor is designed to alert and assist the bus driver only when the vehicle is moving over 40 km per hour speed. It does not automatically apply breaks when the speed is below 40 km per hour. The alarm will not disturb the bus driver when the vehicle is running below the threshold speed.

Before, this system is introduced in all 12,500 buses of UP roadways, an expert team will analyze the effectiveness of the system before taking a call on whether or not to go for the technology for the entire bus fleet of the state.

“This Artificial Intelligence technology continuously monitors bus drivers on six parameters and alerts them in case of any breach on those fronts. It produces a beep sound to caution the driver, so that any mis-happening is pre-empted,” says Raj Shekhar Managing Director Uttar Pradesh State Roadways Transport Corp (UPSRTC).

The initial quotation shared by the company was Rs 42000 per unit but we will try and get a better price as the government will go for a bulk procurement and annual maintenance contract with the company, Shekhar added.