TxDOT plans to use AI to enhance safety on the roads

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Department of Transportation has plans to use artificial intelligence to enhance safety on the roadways.

TxDOT says the technology will help monitor and manage traffic.

"AI is here, and we want to make sure that we are using it safely and responsibly or maximizing its potential for the people of Texas," says TxDOT Media Relations director Adam Hammons.

The artificial intelligence strategic plan is nearly 70 pages long. According to TxDOT, it includes AI-use cases, best practices, and recommendations to guide TxDOT's adoption of AI.

"A big part of that is making sure it is transparent, seeing what data is being used in AI," says Hammons.

There are several key focus areas in the plan to make roads safer and enhance mobility across the state. The agency plans to use the technology to help with infrastructure as well.

"It can really help us maximize the potential of our railways, of our system to help traffic flow much smoother," says Hammons.

According to the agency, there are currently 230 potential AI-use cases in the plan, that will guide the department over the next three years.

TxDOT engineers, IT experts, planners, and other employees across the state helped create the cases.

"We can now start working through it and start using some of these AI Solutions, and then the people on the ground can start maximizing potential and let us know what we can do to help their jobs do better," says Hammons.

The AI Implementation Roadmap in the strategic plan outlines how the agency will adopt AI responsibly, governance and accountability plans, and how TxDOT will adhere to security and privacy standards.

"These AI Solutions are real life solutions that can help us do what we do best here in Texas, and that is working to improve safety and efficiency on our roadways. This can really help us maximize our work over the next three years and maximize what we can do to help improve safety and help improve the efficiency of roadways," says Hammons.

TxDOT says the agency will continue to collaborate with technology partners and stakeholders to explore new AI applications that benefit both operations and the traveling public.