BMTC to pilot ADAS safety tech on 50 Bengaluru buses
BMTC will install Advanced Driver Assistance System technology in 50 buses under a pilot, with a tender covering a two-year rental and maintenance contract.
The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will equip 50 of its buses with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technology under a pilot project aimed at improving passenger and road safety.
The corporation has invited a tender for the deployment, under which the selected agency will operate and maintain the entire system for two years from the date of go-live.
What the system will do
The ADAS setup will combine a road-facing camera, a driver-facing Driver Monitoring System (DMS) camera and two side cameras, along with sensors, an on-board controller or edge-computing unit, storage, software and connectivity equipment.
The driver-monitoring component is designed to track alertness and behaviour, flagging drowsiness, distraction, mobile-phone use and smoking. The road-facing system will identify forward collision and lane departure risks, while the side cameras monitor the areas alongside the bus. The system will issue real-time warnings to the driver when a safety event is detected.
A senior BMTC official said the project is intended to enhance passenger and road safety by monitoring driver alertness and behaviour and by providing real-time driving-assistance warnings.
Central monitoring and rental model
Safety events captured by the system will be sent to a central backend and dashboard, allowing BMTC officials to monitor incidents and access the data generated on board. The system is to support integration with the corporation's existing systems through APIs wherever the required interfaces and data are made available.
Each complete installation is to include all cameras and sensors, controller and edge equipment, storage, accessories, software, the backend and dashboard, hosting, SIM and connectivity, licences, maintenance, repairs, replacements and technical support. These will be covered under a single all-inclusive monthly rental charge per bus, with BMTC opting for a rental model rather than outright purchase.
Earlier deployment
BMTC buses had seen a similar ADAS deployment in 2023, when the technology was installed in 10 vehicles. The official clarified that this was not a corporation project but part of a corporate social responsibility initiative by a private company, which was provided the buses for the installation.
The current pilot marks BMTC's own implementation of the technology. The official said the corporation will assess the system's effectiveness based on the outcome of the pilot before deciding on any further deployment.