In a major push to modernise how India monitors and maintains its vast highway network, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to deploy AI-powered Dashcam Analytics Services (DAS) across nearly 40,000 km of National Highways. The ambitious initiative marks one of the country’s most significant steps toward integrating artificial intelligence into real-time road management.
The system will harness high‑resolution imagery and video captured through dashboard cameras mounted on Route Patrol Vehicles. These vehicles will conduct weekly surveys across every stretch, generating a continuous stream of actionable data. Using advanced AI and machine learning models, the platform will automatically detect more than 30 types of defects and anomalies, enabling faster identification of issues that traditionally required manual inspection.
A major focus of the programme is pavement health—spotting potholes, rutting and severe cracking before they worsen. The system will also track road furniture, flagging damaged lane markings, broken crash barriers and faulty streetlights. Safety threats such as illegal median openings, unauthorized signboards, encroachments and wrongfully parked vehicles will also be mapped with precision.
To strengthen night-time road safety, at least one survey each month will be conducted after dark. These inspections will check the visibility and condition of signages, pavement markings, road studs and highway lighting. Other key areas such as water stagnation, missing drainage covers, vegetation overgrowth and the condition of bus bays will also be digitally logged.
For seamless monitoring and faster action, the country has been divided into five zones, each responsible for systematically reviewing data and ensuring timely rectification. A dedicated IT platform—equipped with data management tools, AI analytics modules and interactive visual dashboards—is being developed to support the system. The technology will even allow side-by-side comparisons of road conditions over different time periods, giving NHAI a clear picture of maintenance progress and emerging trouble spots. All AI-generated insights will also be integrated into the central NHAI Data Lake for unified tracking and reporting.
The initiative is expected to transform the way highways are managed, shifting India firmly toward a proactive, technology-driven model. With AI-enabled monitoring, NHAI aims to ensure quicker repairs, safer roads and a significantly improved travel experience for millions of highway users nationwide.
