Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Sep 26: AI-powered traffic cameras are meant to catch motorists flouting road rules, but a bizarre error in Bengaluru has turned the technology itself into the talking point. An AI camera allegedly mistook a guitar bag strapped to the back of a scooter rider for a pillion passenger and issued a Rs 500 fine for ‘not wearing a helmet’.
The incident comes days after an AI camera installed to detect traffic violations in Belagavi district reportedly issued a Rs 500 fine notice to a car driver for allegedly not wearing a helmet.
Now, a similar technological blunder has surfaced in Bengaluru. Here is what happened:
What happened?
Souvik Datta was travelling on his scooter from Hebbal towards Tin Factory, with his guitar strapped to his back.
At the Hebbal–Tin Factory traffic signal, an AI camera installed as part of the Intelligent Traffic Enforcement Management System allegedly mistook the guitar bag on his back for a separate pillion rider.
The system then allegedly detected that the ‘pillion rider’ was not wearing a helmet and automatically generated a Rs 500 e-challan, which was sent to Souvik’s wife’s mobile phone.
The scooterist was left shocked when he opened the online challan and saw the photograph accompanying it. He subsequently shared the image on social media, highlighting the apparent technical error.
The Bengaluru Traffic police have responded to the post and asked him to contact them so that the matter can be examined.
Calls for manual verification
Such high-tech cameras are installed on public roads primarily to enhance safety and detect traffic violations. However, the challans generated by them are generally required to undergo manual verification before being uploaded online, with officials expected to check the evidence captured by the cameras.
The report alleges that negligence by officials has resulted in such errors going unchecked, allowing incorrect challans to reach members of the public without correction.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru’s latest AI-camera blunder is not an isolated case. A similar incident was reportedly reported in Sikkim, where a Maruti van driver was fined Rs 1,000 for allegedly not wearing a helmet.
The incidents have once again raised questions over the accuracy of AI-based traffic enforcement and the need for proper human verification before penalties are issued.