Revolutionising road safety

New AI-powered traffic enforcement systems, which leverage the benefits of multiple technologies, are significantly improving road safety for millions of people globally.

IDEMIA Public Security (IPS) has been at the forefront of road safety innovation for more than 50 years. Its solutions leverage cutting-edge technologies, particularly video analytics and radar, to revolutionise traffic enforcement. In recent years, the introduction of artificial intelligence 
(AI) into IPS’s systems has brought about a new era in road safety, with the organisation’s solutions offering unparalleled precision, efficiency, and safety enhancements for road users around the world.

AI in road safety

IPS began integrating AI into its road safety solutions ahead of the curve, setting the company apart from other technology providers. While many were waiting for AI hardware to become widely available and affordable, IPS was already taking the lead. The company initially introduced AI capabilities in its MESTAfusion devices – radar technology that ensures simultaneous automatic speed and red-light enforcement and offers advanced monitoring of complex violations and trajectories. The business worked primarily on enhancing the quality and reliability of the evidence packages the devices generated. This advancement significantly improved traffic enforcement accuracy by reducing false positives and increasing the reliability of the data used for penalty enforcement.

IPS further refined its systems by incorporating dedicated edge processing capabilities into its new speed and red-light monitoring products like MESTAcompact and MESTAmobile. These products now fully utilise AI’s potential, delivering superior detection performance and broader functionality coverage. 

MESTAcompact and MESTAmobile are optimised for core traffic enforcement tasks, such as speeding and red-light monitoring, but their AI capabilities enable them to go much further. They can identify drivers using mobile phones while driving, check if all passengers are wearing seatbelts, and even verify if cyclists are wearing helmets.

AI has truly transformed IPS’s ability to address multiple risk factors at once. By automating these complex tasks, it has been able to enhance road safety while reducing the strain on human resources. The introduction of these AI-driven systems has enabled law enforcement agencies to focus on high-risk areas, ensuring a more efficient, targeted approach to traffic management.

Earlier this year, IPS launched the MESTAcompact Focus Edition, its latest addition to its MESTA series. Equipped with next-generation AI analytics, this device can track vehicles with high-frame-rate video technology, allowing it to detect and capture multiple violations in real time, even in complex traffic situations. These capabilities demonstrate IPS’s ongoing commitment to leveraging AI for even safer roads, reducing fatalities, and making sure that all road users – from drivers to cyclists – are protected.

Using the best technologies

While some competitors focus on a single technology, IPS’s approach is to use multiple technologies simultaneously to provide a comprehensive and reliable solution. IPS’s road safety solutions are designed to integrate radar, lidar, optics, and video analytics.

Each technology brings unique strengths, and when combined, they create an unmatched level of accuracy and performance. Radar and lidar, for example, are incredibly effective in determining vehicle speed and distance. When paired with AI-enhanced video analytics, they can detect a range of complex infractions, such as tailgating or lane departure, going beyond what any single technology could achieve on its own. This multifaceted approach allows IPS’s solutions to work reliably in a variety of different conditions, from congested urban environments to high-speed highways, ensuring premium traffic enforcement capabilities, regardless of the scenario.

The company’s video analytics – powered by AI – are based on algorithms so sophisticated they earned top ranking in the US National Institute of Standards and Technology’s tests. These same algorithms are at the core of IPS’s video tracking systems, ensuring they are the most advanced on the market. This pioneering video technology, combined with radar and lidar, makes IPS’s systems the most reliable and effective solutions available.

Field-proven expertise 

IPS’s systems are field-proven, having been deployed successfully in some of the most challenging conditions around the world. From extreme weather environments to high-traffic urban areas, the company’s road safety solutions have been tested and validated, ensuring they meet the highest standards of reliability and effectiveness. IPS’s products also comply with stringent service level agreements, giving partners confidence in the durability and performance of its solutions.

A key component of the company’s success is its ability to foster strong, long-term partnerships. Its long-standing relationships, combined with expertise and top-tier technology, have made IPS a trusted partner for governments and law enforcement agencies around the world. By working closely with these partners, IPS tailors its solutions to meet local needs and challenges. This approach has allowed it to successfully reduce traffic-related fatalities and improve road safety in a wide range of jurisdictions.

IPS’s commitment to innovation, along with its extensive partnership network, continues to drive mutual success. This has enabled the company to significantly improve road safety for millions of people around the world, help save lives, and prevent accidents on a large, global scale.

Author: Erwan Le Floch, senior director – product, presales and partnerships, road safety, IDEMIA Public Security

This article was first published in Intertraffic World 2025 magazine. To read the full issue, click here.