New York’s traffic cameras are now equipped with an upgraded system that uses artificial intelligence and data to help prevent accidents, and to keep traffic moving safely.
The NY1 system is being tested in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx, with the first rollout planned for the New Jersey-New York City area in the coming months.
The New York Times reports that the automated traffic cameras can be programmed to respond to signals in real time, giving drivers a heads-up if a car is in the middle of a jam, for instance, or if an accident is on the way.
That means they can be equipped with cameras that are able to alert drivers if there are cars on the road, but also to be equipped to alert police if there is a collision.
The new system is expected to make NY1 the first state to offer a fully automated system to help drivers avoid accidents, according to a spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation.
The automated system has already helped drivers avoid the death of an NYPD officer and an injured New York City transit worker, and it’s also expected to reduce traffic accidents and make New York more bike-friendly, according the spokesperson.NY1 traffic cameras have also been in use for several years in New Jersey, including one in Newark, New Jersey.
New York State has been experimenting with automated traffic camera systems since the early 2000s, with more than 100 cameras installed across the state.
The state has also installed more than 30,000 cameras in the state’s cities and towns, and has also invested millions in more cameras to help police enforce traffic laws, according a spokesperson.
The Department of Motor Vehicles has since installed a network of more than 3,600 cameras across the country.