Director's Message

Artificial intelligence could have a real role in Caltrans' future

Recent dramatic advances in artificial intelligence, which include but are by no means limited to content-generators such as ChatGPT, are raising hope and questions throughout the world.

Will AI improve our everyday life? How can we anticipate the implications and make the most of such technology?

In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to study the development, use and risks of AI throughout the state and to develop a deliberate and responsible process for evaluation and deployment of AI within state government.

Here at Caltrans, we are exploring potential ways that it could improve our transportation system. Specifically, our department is looking at how AI might positively impact two foundational principles: Safety and Climate Action.

Thanks to our vast network of sensors, roadside cameras, transportation management centers (TMCs) and other transportation-monitoring tools, Caltrans routinely collects an enormous amount of data. We are exploring how all that data can be crystallized by AI to help identify and solve safety and traffic issues on our roadways.

The idea is that AI can point us toward a safer, more-efficient transportation system as it digests and processes crash data, roadway geometry, traffic patterns, traffic counts, speed profiles, lighting conditions and bicyclist and pedestrian behaviors. AI could help Caltrans proactively identify potential conflicts before safety issues occur, rather than just react to them after the fact.

It could be a key to our goal of zero transportation-related deaths and serious injuries by 2050.

AI may also help us make better real-time decisions to ease bottlenecks during critical times and optimize infrastructure investment during the Caltrans project development process.

On a more granular level, our Division of Traffic Operations is researching and piloting connected and automated vehicles (CAV) technology and other emerging trends in vehicle automation. CAV technology has the potential to save lives, provide greater mobility for all people, improve roadway efficiency, increase California's economic competitiveness and make our environment and people healthier.

We cannot know the future, but AI can anticipate what the future holds and help us make it better for all of us. Stay tuned.