Cape Town’s roads could soon be monitored more closely than ever, as the City tests artificial intelligence cameras designed to detect common driving offences while expanding the use of smart speed signs already showing measurable results.
The City of Cape Town is exploring the use of artificial intelligence as part of its broader strategy to improve road safety and strengthen traffic law enforcement.
New AI-powered camera systems are currently being trialled, with the capability to detect motorists who fail to wear seatbelts, use mobile phones while driving, or cross solid white lines. The technology represents a shift away from traditional enforcement methods, which rely heavily on roadblocks and visible policing.
Traffic Services officials have confirmed that the system remains in a testing phase, with no immediate plans for a full-scale rollout. However, they acknowledge that AI is likely to play a more significant role in enforcement in the future.
One of the key advantages of AI systems is their ability to operate continuously, without fatigue or distraction. This creates a constant enforcement presence, which experts believe could influence driver behaviour over time by increasing the certainty of being detected.
Alongside the AI trials, the City has reported encouraging results from its Smart Speed Sign programme.
These digital signs, installed along major routes including Jip de Jager Drive, Victoria Road and Main Road, display a vehicle’s speed in real time. The immediate feedback is designed to prompt drivers to adjust their behaviour.
According to the City’s Urban Mobility Directorate, speeding violations have decreased by as much as 25% in areas where the signs are active. International studies support these findings, suggesting that speed feedback signs can lead to measurable reductions in vehicle speeds across a range of environments.
However, research also indicates that the impact of such measures may diminish over time, with some drivers reverting to previous habits once they move beyond the monitored zones.
The combination of AI cameras and smart signage reflects a broader shift toward technology-driven enforcement, where consistency and visibility are prioritised over sporadic interventions.
For motorists, this could signal a future where compliance is not occasional, but constant, fundamentally changing how road rules are enforced across the city.
Source: IOL – Sinazo Mkoko / Jason Woosey
