Authorities in the nation’s most populous state are reportedly weighing up a move to drastically ramp up AI’s involvement in dishing out fines, with its current set of AI-assisted road cameras racking up more than $400 million in fines.
Transport for New South Wales is said to be on the hunt for an “automated enforcement system” to watch over the state’s road network.
That includes using “AI-assisted decisioning” to catch mobile phone and seatbelt activity, according to The Daily Telegraph.
A new proposal quietly released to industry this week could pave the way for a major overhaul of road enforcement.
The government is seeking technology to supercharge camera systems that have already caught more than one million motorists for mobile phone and seatbelt offences.
Tender documents reportedly show officials want a system that “automates the ingestion, verification, adjudication, and processing of enforcement incidents” and “enhances operational efficiency through automation, AI-assisted decisioning, and intelligent alerting”.
In the state, mobile phone detection cameras were rolled out in 2019 and later expanded to enforce seatbelt laws in 2024.
The cameras have generated some $400 million in revenue in the last five years alone, 7News reported.
Nationally, the use of AI technology on the road remains controversial.
Most recently, the WA government faced immense pressure from the public after numerous motorists sucessfully challenged wrongly-issued fines.
The cameras target mobile phone and seatbealt activity.
TfNSW rejects claims, insists human oversight will remain
About 130 million images are already captured inside passing vehicles each year, and the proposed system aims to improve how those images are processed and reviewed.
The tender revealed TfNSW is exploring a system that could take on a much larger role in enforcement decisions, with technology used to manage when cases are automatically processed and when human review is required through “configurable workflows … including the ability to configure how automated and manual decision making is applied.”
Amid reports humans would be removed from the process entirely, Transport secretary Josh Murray moved to reject those claims.
“Transport for NSW takes a cautious approach to its use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with camera-detection,” he said.
“Every seatbelt or mobile phone image adjudicated by AI that is likely to show a potential offence is reviewed and verified by trained and authorised staff before a penalty notice is issued. This process will not change.
“The Request for Proposal (RFP) which Transport currently has in market is not about implementing additional AI-linked enforcement, and will not increase offences detected.”
Murray said the new contract relates to the modernisation of an existing back-end processing platform used to support automated enforcement programs.
“AI is not being introduced to issue fines, and no system is being developed that would allow A-I to determine infringement outcomes,” he added.
“The existing review process by a Transport for NSW staff member built into every assessment determines if the image clearly shows an offence and is a required step before any decision to proceed to issuing a penalty notice.”
The rise of artificial intelligence on Australian roads
Across Australia, the use of AI technology on roads is growing fast.
From traffic cameras to smart sensors, authorities are increasingly relying on automated systems to monitor compliance, manage congestion, and improve safety.
The rise of AI on roads has sparked a broader debate about privacy and accountability.
While the technology can catch dangerous driving and reduce manual workloads, experts warn there’s potential for errors and unintended consequences if oversight is weak.
Some drivers have expressed concerns about how their data is collected, stored, and used.
As AI systems become more widespread, balancing efficiency with transparency and fairness is emerging as a key challenge for regulators nationwide.
Yahoo News Australia has sought comment from TfNSW.
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