I-77 will have smart cameras that use AI to alert first responders to crashes – WSOC Charlotte

CHARLOTTE Channel 9 got an early look at first-of-its kind technology thats designed to keep drivers and passengers safe on the highway.

Part of Interstate 77 will soon have so-called smart cameras. Theyll be used to help alert crews to any dangers on the drive through the 26 miles of toll lanes between uptown Charlotte and Mooresville.

Traffic Team 9s Mark Taylor visited the Charlotte Traffic Management Center with Channel 9s partners at I-77 Mobility to see how they work.

[ALSO READ: Why are deadly crash trends on the rise around Charlotte?]

Heath Holland is the manager of the CTMC.

Once we pull the incident up on camera and verify it is an actual incident, the operator is trained at that point to dispatch necessary emergency crews, Holland said.

The system is impressive but it can be overwhelming to manage. A new pilot program using artificially intelligent cameras along I-77 could alert crews to danger more quickly.

AI technology isnt totally new, but the new pilot has the first cameras of their kind in North Carolina and the technology is remarkable.

What we want to look for is the past and present images to be constantly moving, said I-77 Mobility Chief Information Officer Farouk Soliman. Any changes when something is not moving, the system goes thats a problem. Or it will see something that wasnt there in the previous image and it senses something there that is new.

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Thats when emergency services are alerted, getting first responders to those hazards faster. That shorter response time could save lives.

But the new cameras arent cheap; they can cost up to $8,000 apiece. But whos paying?

This does not cost motorists anything, Soliman said. This is part of our budget to maintain the road safe for everyone.

And I-77 Mobility said it will be worth it. Last year, crews responded to more than 2,200 incidents -- 950 of them crashes. The numbers show a decline in the previous three years, but it wants those numbers to reach zero.

Our goal is to always have the latest in innovation out there to make sure the road is safe for our motorists, Soliman said.

Mobility Partners hopes to have a significant number of cameras installed along the 26-mile corridor by the end of the year. The cameras will be installed in stages, starting with sections of I-77 that see higher traffic volumes and accident-prone areas, like on- and offramps.

(WATCH BELOW: Expect officers to crack down on fast drivers along Charlottes speed corridors)

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I-77 will have smart cameras that use AI to alert first responders to crashes - WSOC Charlotte