TTC has started using AI-powered cameras in an effort to combat people who illegally pass streetcars.
As of Monday, four streetcars equipped with technology from B.C.’s Gatekeeper Systems are running across five mixed-traffic routes (501 Queen, 506 Carlton, 504 King, 511 Bathurst, and 505 Dundas). Over the course of the next nine months, the pilot will measure how often illegal streetcar passing occurs and test the technology’s reliability for future automated use.
Per Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, it is illegal for anyone in a vehicle, be they in cars, motorcycles, bicycles or the like, to pass the open doors of a streetcar while a curbside stop is being serviced. Normally, this offence carries a fine of up to $183.25 plus three demerit points, but TTC says tickets are not being issued for any detected infractions during this pilot.
In a press release, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow called this pilot an “important step toward reducing dangerous driving behaviours, protecting TTC customers, and making our streets safer for all road users.” To that point, TTC CEO Mandeep S. Lali told CityNews that there were 141 instances where streetcar riders were struck by passing vehicles between 2014 and 2024.
AI-powered surveillance has become increasingly prevalent in law enforcement, albeit not without its fair share of controversy. Earlier this year, Rosedale residents began looking into using this tech to become a “virtual gated community” amid a string of robberies, although this raised concerns about privacy. It also brought to mind instances like U.S. AI camera company Flock being hacked in 30 seconds, all while organizations like ICE were harnessing its data.
Source: TTC
Header image credit: TTC
