Brazilian Scientists Harness AI to Mitigate Animal-Vehicle Collisions

Driving through Brazil‘s picturesque landscapes can be a breathtaking experience, but it also comes with its share of risks, especially when unexpected obstacles like animals cross the road. However, a team of Brazilian scientists is developing a solution to this problem by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and warn drivers about animals, thereby reducing dangerous collisions.

Animal-involved car accidents pose a significant threat, causing harm to both humans and wildlife. In Brazil alone, an estimated 475 million animals fall victim to road accidents annually. The innovative system being developed relies on strategically placed roadside cameras and specialized AI software trained on a vast dataset of Brazilian wildlife images.

The AI software continuously analyzes the video feed from these cameras in real-time, scanning for the presence of target animals such as tapirs, wolves, and anteaters. Upon detection, the system triggers immediate alerts, which are delivered directly to the driver’s smartphone or integrated into the car’s dashboard display.

Lead author Gabriel Souto Ferrante explains, “We created a database of Brazilian species and trained a number of computer vision models to detect them.” The system’s effectiveness is impressive, with the models correctly identifying species in 80% of daytime images. While challenges like nighttime detection persist, the researchers remain optimistic. They plan to expand the database using forest camera traps and real roadside cameras, further refining the system’s capabilities.

Professor Rodolfo Ipolito Meneguette, who leads the research team, emphasizes the system’s potential impact on road safety. “Our system uses roadside cameras coupled to a portable computer and is innovative in that respect,” he says.

The team envisions collaborating with toll road companies and cities to test the system in real-world scenarios and integrate it with existing traffic apps. If successful, this technology could significantly reduce animal-related accidents. Beyond protecting lives, the system could also yield economic and ecological benefits. By mitigating collisions, it can reduce vehicle damage, injuries, and fatalities, resulting in substantial cost savings.

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