The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) Road Traffic Research Division’s research team has introduced artificial intelligence (AI) technology to automatically recognize and regulate electric scooters abandoned on the streets. Shared personal mobility devices (PM) such as electric scooters and bicycles are gaining attention as environmentally friendly modes of transportation using electric power, enhancing mobility convenience in urban areas. However, the issue of illegal parking has intensified, threatening pedestrian safety and causing inconvenience to those with mobility difficulties, raising it as a social issue.
In response, some local governments, including Seoul, have established an ordinance to enhance the safe use of personal mobility devices based on road traffic laws and are implementing administrative measures such as relocation, storage, and sale of improperly abandoned PMs. The problem is that these measures rely on manpower-intensive methods such as citizen reports and field inspections, which are less effective.
The KICT research team has developed a technology that automatically detects illegal parking of shared PMs by analyzing existing public CCTV footage with AI, assessing the risk by analyzing whether they have fallen over and the duration of parking. This technology can identify the operating company based on the shape and color of each device, and prioritize the relocation of shared PMs according to their risk level. Using existing public CCTV eliminates the need for additional infrastructure costs. The research institute is helping to commercialize this technology by transferring it to Pintel.
Park Sun-kyu, the director of KICT, stated, “This development will contribute to securing pedestrian safety and maximizing the management efficiency of shared PMs in urban areas. We will continue to dedicate efforts to research and development for creating a safe traffic environment.”