NHAI

AI-Powered Traffic Management System for National Highways

Data, AI, ML & Analytics

Overview

Established in 1995, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is an autonomous agency under the Government of India. It is tasked with the management of over 50,000 km of National Highways, which forms a part of India’s total road network of 1,32,499 km.

NHAI set a goal to reduce road fatalities and enhance highway operations. To achieve this, they proposed the development of a system that can utilize computer vision, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to continuously monitor and manage all activities on the highways.

Challenges

Given the extensive length of expressways, monitoring various aspects such as traffic congestion, passenger safety, traffic offenders, patrolling vehicles, and sign boards posed a significant challenge for NHAI. To address this complexity, NHAI partnered with Auriga IT to develop a comprehensive solution enabling them to manage the entire highway system through a centralized command center. Some of the challenges Faced by NHAI were:

Continuous Monitoring and Alert System- In response to escalating highway rule violations and accidents, NHAI required a system that can monitor expressway traffic conditions in real-time, and alert relevant authorities and law enforcement agencies promptly using a dependable monitoring mechanism.
Data Integration from Diverse Sources- Considering the vast length of expressways and highways, a system was needed that can efficiently gather and process data from a variety of sources such as surveillance cameras, sensors, , and traffic management systems.
Expressway Safety Event Detection- With the numerous types of rule violations occurring on highways, NHAI required a robust system capable of identifying unsafe incidents on expressways, such as high-speed vehicles, wrong-way traffic, congestion, poor visibility, and stationary traffic.
Minimize Response Time to Emergency Events- The NHAI required a system to reduce the response time to accidents, casualties, instances of high-speed vehicles, wrong-way driving, and congestion. The goal was to create safer roads for everyone and strengthen the overall safety measures on expressways.

Solution

NHAI collaborated with Auriga IT to create an AI-driven system capable of processing extensive data from various sources such as CCTV cameras, Radars, traffic sensors, and IoT devices. To accomplish this, Auriga IT developed and deployed 13 distinct modules on the expressways, each addressing a specific issue. The modules that are developed are as follows:

1. Video Incident Detection System- Vehicles moving in the wrong direction, visibility/congestion on the road, roadblocks, and sudden vehicle stops are detected by the VIDS. The tracking of vehicles in real-time is facilitated by the use of a Local Processing Unit (LPU), AI algorithms, and computer vision.

2. Vehicle Speed Detection System- Various aspects of traffic, including vehicle over speeding, vehicles moving in the wrong lane, hour-wise traffic trends, and vehicle number detection, are monitored by the system. Road data and statistics are gathered using tools such as a Radar Speed Sensor, ANPR Camera, Vehicle Actuated Speed Display (VASD), and a Road Condition Monitoring module.

3. Traffic Monitor Camera System- The TMCS is used by Command Center executives to simultaneously view multiple camera feeds based on locations in a grid. These feeds can also be filtered by package, and camera functions such as zoom, pan, and rotate can be controlled. Various types of cameras were installed to meet the requirements for surveillance of traffic and vehicles on the highway.

4. Highway Traffic Monitoring System- A comprehensive bird’s-eye view of the entire highway system is provided to the command centre executive through a marker-based representation featured by the system, which represents devices and events on the map. Event markers indicate incidents such as accidents or road closures, and device status indications provide alerts if a system is not functioning properly or is down.

5. Variable Messaging System- A VMS dashboard was developed, enabling command center personnel to view all the signboards on the road and their locations on a map. This tool also allows them to communicate important information, such as traffic alerts, construction updates, and weather warnings, to road-users by sending messages to the signboards. The messages are delivered by connecting to each signboard’s IP address.

6. Facility Management System- This system was developed to streamline essential operations related to various devices, including cameras, VIDS devices, and radar systems. With the implementation of this system, the ability to seamlessly access a real-time view of available devices, monitor their health status, and execute commands across all integrated devices within the system is granted to personnel stationed at a command center.

7. Event Management Module– Traffic jams are automatically detected by the system by comparing the real-time speed of vehicles. Events are manually registered by operators after verification through various methods, which include the use of patrol vehicles and camera detection from systems such as TMCS, VIDS, ANPR, VSDS, etc., as well as other sources of information.

8. Automatic Traffic Count & Classification- Vehicle counting and classification is automatically done by the ATCC module. All vehicle types on highways are recorded for monitoring and data collection at the ATMS Control Centre using data from ANPR and VIDS cameras.

9. Travel Time Measurement System- Travel times and speeds between major project sections are measured by the Travel Time Measurement System (TTMS) using ANPR cameras at VSDS locations. Images of vehicles are captured, numbers are extracted, and time and location stamps are used for speed calculations.

10. Report Generation Module– Key reports for traffic management, including the Alerts Report for incident tracking, the ATCC Report for vehicle data, the Event Report for significant occurrences, the Device Malfunction Report for equipment performance, and the IP Address Master Report for network device management, are generated by the system.

11. Advanced Driver Assistance System- To prevent deaths and injuries that occur in car accidents, this module has been developed. It is installed on vehicle tabs and can detect nearby obstacles or driver errors. It offers multiple screens such as a camera screen, map screen, vehicle details screen, call screen, alert and ticket screen.

12. Emergency Calling Box- Roadside assistance during emergencies is provided by the Emergency Calling Box (ECB). It is linked to a control center that receives calls from the ECB, telecom providers, and the 1033 service. When a call is initiated, it is processed by the server and handled by the SDK to ensure swift communication.

13. Video Management System- Extensive highway surveillance is offered by VAMS through live and recorded videos from connected cameras. Camera details including alarms, events, and configurations can be accessed by users. Various events are recognized by the system for effective surveillance.

Our team successfully implemented all the 13 Modules of Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on February 12, 2023.

Project Outcome

Swift response time- Our systems improved the response time to accidents and incidents. For example, traffic information was released 480 seconds faster, and vehicles got information 27 minutes earlier. Our system also alerted ambulances quicker.
Enhanced Convenience- With the ATMS authorities were able to detect traffic conditions in real time leading to smoother traffic flow and minimized delays.
Scalability and adaptability- Its implementation across various expressway networks, thereby enhancing road safety nationwide, is allowed by our system’s scalability.
Increased Passenger Safety- It improved passenger safety on the roads by using systems to monitor, analyze, and manage traffic conditions in real time. ATMS can provide information and guidance to road users, as well as intervene in case of incidents, emergencies, or congestion.
Increased real time visibility to NHAI Authorities- Real-time visibility of vehicles, equipment, and road conditions on the highways was given to NHAI Authorities by our system.
Better Traffic Coordination- The traffic was made smoother and safer, delays and travel duration were reduced, security and compliance were increased, and service quality and performance were improved by using various technologies.