TECH FAIL
AI cameras issue parking tickets to 3,800 drivers for blocking bus lanes – then city realizes major mistake
Many of the drivers even received photos supposedly showing their infractions which ended up proving they had done nothing wrong
ALMOST 4,000 drivers were hit with parking tickets after experimental AI cameras wrongly determined they had been blocking bus lanes.
Officials say the cameras were not properly programmed for the routes they were covering, leading to the embarrassing mix-up.
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The artificial intelligence cameras were launched earlier this year on certain buses in New York City.
Plans are afoot to have these cameras on more than 1,020 buses by the end of the year.
A further 1,000 are expected to have the cameras installed next year.
The scheme is costing the city a staggering $83 million, with Hayden AI taking the contract.
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Hayden AI will be paid an additional $58m to install their technology on the additional 1,000 buses, bringing the scheme's total price to about $141 million.
But the cameras have so far mistakenly ticketed around 3,800 cars, reports NBC New York.
Of those, nearly 900 were legally parked.
Many of the drivers even received photos supposedly showing their infractions which ended up proving they had done nothing wrong.
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The MTA, which manages buses in the Big Apple, says that a human reviews each citation made by the AI cameras.
An MTA spokesperson told the outlet the cameras weren't properly programmed for the routes they monitored.
YourParkingSpace app lets you book time across many public car parks, including supermarkets
On one route, the cameras misidentified parked cars, and on another, they issued citations where full enforcement hadn't begun yet.
Drivers receive a $50 fine for blocking a bus lane, with an increased fine of $250 for each subsequent violation.
But the city says only a tiny fraction of violators receive a second citation.
New York has already refunded drivers who had paid and reversed the citations.
How to fight a parking ticket
You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made
Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.
Suddenly there's a ticket you weren't prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.
- Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
- Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren't cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren't "obvious" are great things to photograph, too.
- Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
- Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees.
- When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument:
- "I didn’t know the law."
- "I was on my way to move my car."
- "I can’t afford this ticket."
- "I’ve been doing this for years."
- "I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK."
- Contact a lawyer. If you're running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.
Source: Reader's Digest
The MTA says it has fixed the software issue that caused the mistaken citations to begin with.
"One of the purposes of the warning phase for newly activated routes is to work out any issues before anyone is actually ticketed," Tim Minton, the MTA’s Communications Director said.
"In this situation, there were programming kinks, both in the mapping of curb areas and the timing of warnings themselves - all of which have now been resolved."
Defending the scheme, the MTA says that since the ticketing scheme was launched, bus speeds have gone up about 5%.
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More than 293,000 vehicles have been caught illegally blocking bus lanes so far this year, according to NYC's Department of Finance.
That represents a 570% increase over 2021, with the city's revenue from bus lane fines rising from $4.3m annually to $20.9m.