AI cameras hit Ho Chi Minh City streets, catching thousands of violators
Ho Chi Minh City has installed 31 AI-powered cameras on major streets and accident blackspots to automatically detect traffic violations and send them to a central system for fines.
The cameras are mounted on busy roads including Dien Bien Phu, Truong Dinh, Le Quy Don, Tran Quoc Thao, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Pasteur, Mac Dinh Chi, Nguyen Van Cu and Tran Hung Dao in the city center, as well as on two notorious accident hotspots on the outskirts: Dang Thuc Vinh and Le Van Khuong.
Lieutenant colonel Nguyen Thi Thanh Nga, deputy head of the HCMC traffic police division, said the sites were chosen using scientific and practical criteria such as accident frequency, heavy vehicle density and areas prone to violations.
The goal is to optimize monitoring and ensure accurate data transmission to the city’s traffic management hub near the Thu Thiem Tunnel.
The AI system automatically identifies violations such as running red lights, driving in the wrong lane, speeding, not wearing seat belts, or using phones while driving. It records the time, vehicle type and license plate before sending data to the Urban Traffic Operation and Management Center, where officers verify the evidence before issuing penalty decisions within 8–10 days.
Unlike conventional cameras, the AI models can track a large number of vehicles simultaneously, highlighting violations with red frames or directional lines on screens.
Since its launch on Sept. 1, the network has recorded more than 3,100 violations. Nga stressed that the process is transparent and precise, helping reduce processing time and minimize outside interference.
Beyond the AI system, HCMC traffic police already operate more than 1,200 cameras across the city to monitor traffic flow and public security.
Hanoi has also begun piloting a similar project. Its new cameras detected 1,452 red-light violations within the first half-day of operation on Sept. 24.
The national traffic police agency has since proposed installing thousands of AI cameras nationwide to monitor up to 20 types of violations.
By Dinh Van – VnExpress.net – October 11, 2025