The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) plans to use AI-based technologies to limit road accidents and improve passenger safety in buses. According to a report in Times of India, the corporation recently floated a tender for the implementation of AI-powered Collision Warning System (CWS) and Driver Drowsiness System (DDS) for 1,044 buses. CWS will provide features like Forward Looking Collision Warning (FLCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Virtual Bumper and also generate realtime alerts. 

The tender is likely to be finalised by the end of June 2021, stated the report. Of the 1,044 buses, 400 are non-AC and the rest are premium AC buses. 

KSRTC officials said the FLCW system will identify an impending collision and inform the driver that he has entered the unsafe distance zone. “This helps the driver prepare to take necessary action to avoid collision. The system will provide real-time alerts to warn the driver against impending collisions. AI-based camera sensors will provide detection of the vehicle for sufficient range of at least 150m at any speed, for vehicle detection, so that it can effectively warn the driver,” an official said.

When minimum safe distance is not maintained, an alert will be generated. This minimum safe distance is based on a calculation of the Time-To-Collision (TTC) with the vehicle ahead including 2/3 wheelers, pedestrians and cyclists. The officials added that the alarm will be initiated at a TTC of up to 2.5 to 3 seconds, be operational at a vehicle speed range of up to at least 120kmph and generate both visual and audible alarm. 

DDS will check its drivers from dozing off at the wheel. It will monitor the driver’s eye movements and sound a warning alarm in case he appears sleepy. AI-based CCTV will keep watching the facial behaviour of the driver. It will also give an alert to the KSRTC central control room if the alert to the driver is ignored. This will be helpful for night services,” said an official.