Brazil installs AI cameras on Raposo Tavares Highway to detect seatbelt, phone use

The concessionaire of São Paulo's Raposo Tavares Highway has begun operating AI‑powered cameras on strategic sections of the road. Within the first 72 hours the two devices recorded more than 1,000 traffic violations, with non‑use of seatbelts accounting for about 40 % of incidents and mobile‑phone use for another 30 %. The system captures images around the clock and forwards them to traffic authorities, which alone can issue fines.

The deployment is part of a wider push to modernise Brazil’s road network with artificial‑intelligence tools. Similar technologies are already helping the Minas Gerais road agency cut potholes by 80 % and improve inspection efficiency. Officials say the AI approach enables a preventative management model, allowing early detection of infrastructure faults and risky driver behaviour before they cause accidents. Plans include expanding the camera network to other critical stretches of Raposo Tavares and to the Castello Branco Highway, with future upgrades to detect pedestrians, broken vehicles and other hazards.