Bengaluru Police building AI-driven digital 'Punchnama' with body-worn cameras

MN Anucheth, IPS, Joint Police Commissioner (Traffic), Bengaluru

Bengaluru Police is working on body-worn cameras used by traffic constables for automatic video annotation, thereby helping collect evidence in road crash investigations.

"We are working on whether the body-worn camera can collect video and annotate itself … It's a work in progress and hopefully, we should have it soon as it will make our work easier," Bengaluru Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) MN Anucheth said while speaking at the Mercedes-Benz SAFE ROADS India Summit 2024.

The department is also testing the potential of dashboard cameras to detect driver behavior, including signs of drowsiness, negligence, or even drunkenness, based on their driving patterns.

"I am hoping in a couple of years from now, it can also tell whether the driver is drunk based on their behavior or driving," the techie-turned-traffic police chief added.

Highlighting Bengaluru Traffic Police's focus on AI, Anucheth emphasised the shift towards data-driven policing to prove culpability in accidents.

"Our focus has always been on taking data points to prove a particular crime. We're looking at why a person caused a crash or whether it was a case of negligence," he explained.

Anucheth added that integrating technology has also elevated the skill set of constables. "The average constable today is far more trained and equipped to collect critical data points than they were five or ten years ago," he said, stressing on the department’s commitment to using technology for better road safety enforcement.

Meanwhile, on November 22, Anucheth said traffic management in Bengaluru will fully shift to AI-based systems in the coming years. He described this shift as "irreversible" and said that AI would not only handle traffic management but also congestion monitoring.

"Traffic management will completely shift towards AI in a couple of years. I think we are already on that path, and it's irreversible," he said speaking at the CNBC TV18 - Moneycontrol Global AI Conclave.

Also, read: MC Interview: Bengaluru's techie-turned-traffic chief bets on AI to ease congestion

Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), the largest research and development centre for Mercedes-Benz Group AG outside Germany, organized the summit to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Accident Research team in India. The India Summit brought together policymakers, academia, industry, NGOs, and students.

Apart from Anucheth, the panel featured SaveLIFE Foundation Founder Piyush Tewari and Pramod Reddemreddy, Director of Marketing, Strategy & Innovation, Bosch Mobility India.