South Korean firm Nota AI is to supply its smart intersection technology for an intelligent transport system (ITS) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nota AI’s technology can reduce the computational complexity and memory use of AI models, enabling their efficient operation in edge environments. This makes the technology effective in settings requiring low power and low latency.

The smart intersection system is expected to contribute to improved traffic flow. It functions by compressing the size of the required analysis model and tailoring it for local CCTV at intersections, allowing for real-time classification of vehicle types, and analysis of traffic volume, queue length and other traffic conditions without relying on a central server.

The contract is part of a traffic control centre establishment project led jointly by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura, kura.go.ke) and LG CNS (www.lgcns.com). Hanil STM is responsible for system design and management, while Nota AI will implement and supply the smart intersection system, based on its AI model optimisation and compression technology, tailored for an edge environment.

Its efficiency comes from the compression technology, which allows a single edge device to simultaneously manage multiple CCTV channels and process real-time data, resulting in effective cost management.

Furthermore, system managers can use the real-time data not only to monitor current traffic but also as data for future enhancement of intersection operational efficiency. Since the entire analysis process is realised in an edge environment, it provides stable operation while reducing the burden of server construction and maintenance costs.

Nota AI has already received recognition for its technological capabilities through ITS performance evaluations and verification by various companies and local governments. The smart intersection and emergency situation detection systems, both developed with Nota AI’s technology, achieved the highest grade’ in the basic ITS performance evaluation, where real-time performance and accuracy are key indicators. Additionally, the system recently completed installation in South Korea’s Yeongcheon ITS reinforcement project, demonstrating an average performance rate of 99.5% across all evaluation criteria.

Building on this technological capability, Nota AI is accelerating the commercialisation of its ITS technology. It has shown the technologies in the Middle East and North America, with achievements including: a partnership with the UAE transport infrastructure company ATS; a contract to supply ITS with the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority (RTA, www.rta.ae); and verification of pedestrian safety support and traffic volume analysis with Sony in Lakewood, USA.

“We are delighted that Nota AI’s AI compression and optimisation technology will contribute to traffic innovation in Nairobi, following our success in Dubai,” said Myungsu Chae, CEO of Nota AI (www.nota.ai). “By successfully completing this project, we will further expand the influence of our AI compression and optimisation technology in the global market.”