India AI Impact Summit 2026: How road safety AI, ADAS tech are reducing accidents

The India AI Impact Summit 2026, currently underway at Bharat Mandapam, has set a new benchmark for using technology to solve national infrastructure crises. In a pivotal session titled “AI for Road Safety: Data-Driven Solutions for Enhancing Road Safety in India,” top government officials and researchers detailed how Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are being integrated to shift the nation’s road safety strategy from a reactive model to one of proactive prevention.

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The MoRTH strategic pivot

The panel featured two critical voices from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH): Shri Ramendra Pratap Shukla, Director in the Road Safety Cell, and Shri Pankaj Agarwal, Chief Engineer. Shri Agarwal emphasized that traditional accident data – often recorded manually by police – frequently misses the underlying contributors to collisions. By utilizing AI to capture “proper data” and objective evidence without human intervention, the Ministry aims to address root causes like speeding more effectively. The goal is to move beyond managing “Blackspots” (locations where accidents have already occurred) to a model where AI-enabled vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication allows drivers to “correct themselves” before a collision even happens.

ADAS as a safety necessity

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The summit highlighted that ADAS technology is no longer a luxury but a critical tool for reducing India’s high fatality rates. Shri Agarwal pointed out that AI integration can significantly help in avoiding accidents by providing evidence-based insights that lead to better driver accountability. Beyond safety, the Ministry is actively developing AI tools for pollution control, targeting urban centers where environmental data can often be misleading. By creating a holistic digital ecosystem, MoRTH aims to use AI as both a shield for drivers and a tool for environmental sustainability.

The IIT Madras Academic Shield

A significant highlight of the session was the research coming out of IIT Madras, specifically through the Centre of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS). Academic experts such as Prof. Venkatesh Balasubramanian and Atul Singh are driving the framework that adapts AI to India’s unique “unstructured” traffic conditions. One of the most forward-thinking proposals discussed was the integration of road safety into the school curriculum using AI to create early awareness among the youth. Shri Agarwal confirmed that IIT Madras is currently working on this mandate, ensuring that the next generation of Indian drivers is technologically and safety-literate from the start.

Toward a Scalable “Zero Fatality” Future

The session concluded with a vision for national scalability. By bridging the gap between academic research at IIT Madras and the policy mandates of MoRTH directors like Shri R.P. Shukla and Shri Pankaj Agarwal, the India AI Mission is building a blueprint for the future. The data-driven solutions showcased at Bharat Mandapam, ranging from automated challan enforcement to real-time fatigue detection, are designed to protect the millions of citizens on India’s highways. As these technologies move from pilot phases to national standards, the summit has proven that AI is the most powerful tool in India’s journey toward a “Zero Fatality” transport future.

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Vyom Ramani

A journalist with a soft spot for tech, games, and things that go beep. While waiting for a delayed metro or rebooting his brain, you’ll find him solving Rubik’s Cubes, bingeing F1, or hunting for the next great snack. View Full Profile