New Delhi: In a major move to modernize the operations and maintenance of National Highways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will introduce AI-powered Dashcam Analytics Services (DAS) across nearly 40,000 km of highway network. The initiative will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to enable data-driven monitoring and high-tech maintenance of highways and expressways across the country.

Under the project, high-resolution cameras will be installed on Route Patrol Vehicles (RPVs) to carry out regular surveys of highway stretches. These vehicles will conduct weekly inspections, while AI-based models will automatically detect more than 30 types of road defects and anomalies using video and image data.

The system will mainly monitor road surface conditions, including potholes, cracks and rutting, along with road furniture such as lane markings, crash barriers and streetlights. It will also help identify safety hazards and encroachments, including illegal median openings, unauthorized hoardings and roadside obstructions.

To strengthen safety checks, night-time surveys will be conducted at least once every month to assess visibility of signboards, pavement markings, reflectors and highway lighting. The monitoring will also cover issues like waterlogging, damaged drainage covers, vegetation growth and condition of bus bays.

For efficient supervision, the highway network has been divided into five monitoring zones, supported by a dedicated IT platform with AI analytics, data management and visualization dashboards. The system will allow comparison of road conditions over time and will be linked to the central NHAI data lake to ensure timely repairs.

The deployment of AI-based dashcam monitoring is expected to improve road safety, maintenance efficiency and overall travel experience, marking a major step towards technology-driven management of India’s National Highways.