AI-enabled MVD vehicle flags nearly 6,500 speed violations in Kochi city two months

The Motor Vehicles department (MVD) has detected nearly 6,500 cases of over-speeding within Kochi city limits in the past two months. Of these, 1,637 drivers, who were found to have violated speed limits, were penalised, MVD officials said.

The cases were detected using the MVD’s artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled Mobile Speed Violation Detection System (MSVDS), which was deployed in different parts of the city. The MSVDS is an interceptor vehicle fitted with AI-driven automated number plate recognition cameras.

The system detected 3,759 cases in January, while the number came down to 2,672 in February. In January, 988 violators were fined, while the figure for February stood at 649, with a few cases still under process as of March 2. The vehicles detected for over-speeding included private buses and cars, officials said.

The MSVDS, which is designated for use across Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam districts, has been stationed exclusively in Kochi city since January as part of a special enforcement drive to curb frequent traffic rule violations.

“Once the system detects a case, the details and images of the vehicle in question can be accessed by the MVD’s control room at the Civil Station in Kakkanad. Officials there inspect each case and forward those found to be clear violations for further action, including the imposition of a fine,” an MVD official said.

Each case is examined in detail, taking into account factors such as a 5% tolerance limit on the permissible speed and the benefit of the doubt, the official added.

The MSVDS is part of the MVD’s State-wide AI-enabled surveillance network under its E-Kerala project. However, it is currently the only facility available to the agency to detect over-speeding within the city.

Though 63 AI-enabled cameras have been installed in the district as part of the project, all but one are outside the Kochi Corporation limits. The one at Marine Drive is meant to detect parking violations. The MVD has recommended the installation of 57 AI-enabled cameras within and around the city, according to sources.