Davos (PTI): Artificial Intelligence is not just about creating text, images, graphics and videos online; it can make a big change in the physical life and for humanity by even predicting road crashes.

The assertion was made by SaveLife Foundation Founder and CEO Piyush Tewari here during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

Tewari, who ventured into the area of working on road safety after losing a young family member in a road crash, said his organisation is looking at using AI in a big way for predictive analysis.

He also lauded the Government of India for a big push around AI in road safety.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari recently announced an initiative where AI is going to be used to interpret the road crash data that is coming out and provide faster insights.

"Can we predict road crashes by bringing some data points together? So, there's definitely a huge amount of application, and the signs are very much positive.

"At SaveLife, we have used AI for the last 7-8 years. We've trained cameras using AI, fixed with drones to preemptively identify parked vehicles on highways, for example, because rear-end collisions are a big issue when it comes to road safety.

"Similarly, we have used AI-trained cameras on intersections to identify conflicts and to create a heatmap of such intersections. We've defined conflicts on the basis of proximity, etc.," he said.

Tewari, who is participating in AI and social innovation sessions at WEF, said there's a significant amount of application of AI in this whole space of road safety.

"I hope to be contributing with regard to our experience of using it in India at a very, very grassroots level," he said.

"AI has the ability to transform lives. The decisions and the thought process that might take months sometimes can be done in hours or minutes using AI. We have to make AI more accessible to the public, and the Government of India's mission is also to make it more accessible.

"So we are very much aligned with the idea of using AI to make mobility safer," he said.

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Karwar: The Karwar Superintendent of Police Deepan N. M. has placed Kadra sub-inspector Sunil Bandivaddar under suspension for alleged dereliction of duty and negligence in connection with the suicide of a woman from Kadra.

According to a Deccan Herald report, the action follows the death of Rischel D’Souza, who was found dead at her residence on January 9. According to the police, a preliminary review indicated serious lapses in the handling of the case. Citing the shortcomings in following prescribed procedures during the investigation and post-mortem process, the SP ordered the suspension pending a departmental inquiry.

Rischel’s family had earlier approached the Kadra police, alleging that her friend, Chirag Kotarkar, was responsible for driving her to take the extreme step. However, relatives and members of Christian organisations expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as inaction by the police, stating that no arrest had been made even a week after the complaint was lodged.