AI in Transport Safety at T-Tech 2024

At the T-Tech24 conference, RUSH's founder and CTO Danu Abeysuriya delivered a compelling presentation on how artificial intelligence is transforming workplace safety in New Zealand's transport sector. The presentation, titled "The Best Use Case for Digital: Keeping People Safe," highlighted the urgent need for innovative solutions to address workplace safety challenges.

The Scale of the Problem

Danu opened with sobering statistics about workplace accidents in New Zealand. With $4.4 billion in costs from workplace accidents and deaths, 1.1 million work days lost annually in the construction sector alone, and 39,000 work-related ACC claims by trades workers each year, the message was clear: workplace harm remains a significant national challenge.

Drawing an interesting parallel between the Apollo 11 guidance computer and today's iPhone 15, Danu illustrated how dramatically computing power has evolved. This technological progression has created new opportunities to leverage AI for safety applications. The presentation emphasised that while organisations prioritise Health & Safety, many struggle to mature their safety culture and gain a holistic view of where to improve.

RUSH's answer to this challenge is R/VISION, a computer vision AI platform designed to enable faster, better decisions to prevent harm. The system represents a practical application of AI as a tool to augment human capabilities rather than replace them. This approach aligns with Stanford's Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence Lab's framework for AI adoption in business.

A key focus of the presentation was the importance of data governance, emphasising that organisations' safety data is not just a current asset but future intellectual property. He stressed the importance of establishing strong governance around data quality, accessibility, and ownership today to prepare for future AI applications.

Regulatory Landscape

The presentation concluded with an overview of the evolving regulatory landscape for AI and data, including recent developments in European, US, Australian, and New Zealand frameworks. This highlighted RUSH's commitment to developing solutions that not only solve immediate safety challenges but also comply with emerging regulatory requirements.

The presentation resonated strongly with T-Tech24's theme of accelerating New Zealand with intelligent transport solutions, demonstrating how AI can be practically applied to create safer workplaces in the transport sector.

T-Tech24, the ITSNZ Annual Summit and Exhibition, brought together over 180 delegates to explore the latest developments in intelligent transport solutions. The conference featured international keynotes, over 60 speakers, special interest sessions, and government leadership panels.