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Dubai launches smart screening vehicles to catch public parking violators

Dubai - The system can read number plates of vehicles in all directions, thanks to 24 cameras fitted on all sides of the vehicle.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has started a smart screening system for paid public parking — involving the use of digital cameras, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies — to deliver better services to public parking users.

Currently, there are 190,000 paid parking slots in the emirate out of a total 550,000 spaces.

Eng. Maitha bin Adai, CEO of Traffic and Roads Agency, RTA, said the smart screening system of paid public parking streamlines and controls the use of public parking, and increases the frequency of using parking slots. It also steps up the efficiency of the monitoring and inspection of parking spaces and reduces the potential errors associated with violations.

“The smart screening system has multiple smart features that render RTA unique in offering such a service," she said. "The smart screening vehicle can monitor and read number plates of vehicles in all directions (360°), regardless of the type of the parking space, thanks to 24 digital cameras fitted on all sides of the vehicle. These cameras can read and analyse plates of vehicles at the public parking at a speed of more than 80 km/h at accuracy of more than 99 per cent,” she said.

“The implementation of the smart screening of public parking system forms part of the RTA's plans to ease the job of parking inspectors by using state-of-the-art technologies in monitoring the use of public parking in Dubai. The inspection of parking has become fully automated to ensure the safety of inspectors by avoiding distracting them while driving,” she noted.

In October 2020, Sharjah Municipality also launched two digital scanning vehicles to monitor parking violations in high density areas. A single inspection vehicle can scan 3,000 vehicles in one hour.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com