The Southern city of China, Shenzhen, is exploring a system where they will be using surveillance cameras and AI-based facial recognition system. The system will send a text message to the jaywalkers to notify them of the violations they caused and will fine them the moment they break a law. The current system identifies a jaywalker and displays their picture on a LED screen near the intersection.
Wang Jun, the director of marketing solutions for the AI company Interllifusion said, “Jaywalking has always been an issue in China and can hardly be resolved just by imposing fines or taking photos of the offenders. But a combination of technology and psychology … can greatly reduce instances of jaywalking and will prevent repeat offenses.” The power of the AI-based facial recognition has become increasingly famous and also demonstrates how the tech can even compromise the privacy of the people. The US government is also getting on the action, however, the reports are that the tech is not accurate so far.
Jaywalking system in China is supported by the fact that, every person in Shenzhen city is required to register their information with the police after they spend 30 days in the city. Intellifusion is enhancing the system by getting access to the local mobile phone carriers and Chinese social media platforms like WeChat, Sina, and Weibo. This way it can send the fines directly to jaywalker’s phones instead of displaying it on the huge screen.
The Chinese government asserts that the system is at least effective. Before the facial recognition technology was implemented, the city faced 200,000 jaywalking violations within 18 months. Intellifusion says that in the seven intersections where the camera was placed for the trial run, they were able to reduce the jaywalking by 80%. These systems have the tendency to compromise the privacy of the people. Once they are set in place, no one knows what other purposes they will be fulfilled by them.