Xerox has rolled-out its new Vehicle Passenger Detection System (VPDS), a high-occupancy vehicle, high-occupancy/toll (HOV/HOT) lane compliancy test that helps identifies the number of passengers in a vehicle.

Although high-occupancy carpooling lanes are key to reducing roadway congestion, their benefits are being severely limited by motorists who do not abide by the rules.

With the help of Xerox’s patented video analytics and geometric algorithms, the VPDS identifies the number of passengers with better than 95% accuracy, at speeds ranging from stop-and-go to 100mph.

"The detection unit has the ability to distinguish between empty and occupied seats."

Xerox government and transportation sector vice-president Mark Cantelli said that currently officers must park on the shoulder of a highway and quickly merge into traffic to chase down the violator, putting both the officer and the public at risk.

"This detection system automates the process and improves safety through the use of high-quality images and the generation of an evidence package," Cantelli said.

The detection unit has the ability to distinguish between empty and occupied seats, and reports the violation to the relevant enforcement agency in real-time, enabling officers to visually confirm the information and potentially issue a citation.

It has been designed for tolling agencies managing HOT lanes and for transportation departments, as well as state law officers looking for better HOV enforcement.

Analytical data can also be produced for agencies to improve roadway management, traffic patterns and total vehicle occupancy statistics.