Auto drivers’ society mulls AI-based queue system

Ernakulam District Auto Drivers Cooperative Society implements AI-based queue system to streamline operations and match auto availability.

Buoyed by winning the Urban Mobility India 2020 award from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Ernakulam District Auto Drivers Cooperative Society has mulled an AI-based queue system at the autorickshaw stand near the Aluva metro station.

The society, which has a membership of over 5,000 autorickshaw drivers, is a conclave of auto-driver unions in the district. “The unique AI-based prepaid auto-queue system will initially cater to 100 autorickshaws. There is no app involved. It will streamline operations at the stand, ensure equal opportunities for drivers, and match auto availability based on commuters’ demand,” said Binu Varghese, a director board member of the society.

“In this system, the society will rely on its Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) for optimal efficiency. We chose this approach due to limited parking space near the metro station,” he added. The society had won the urban mobility award for uniting a large number of drivers, launching the AuSa app, which was aimed to eliminate cash transactions and prevent overcharging, and for its technological innovations in the wake of COVID-19.

Adarsh Kumar Nair, Director of SCMS Institute for Road Safety and Transportation (SiRST), emphasized the need for such initiatives to ensure equitable benefits for all autorickshaw drivers. “This is important in rural areas, where people often prefer to ride with familiar drivers rather than taking the first auto in the queue,” he said.

Earlier this year, students from the computer science department of SCMS School of Engineering and Technology, under the guidance of SiRST experts, developed a project titled ‘Aye Auto’—a virtual stand designed to transform the way people hail autorickshaws. The virtual stand removes the need for autorickshaws to be present at designated stands. “This, in turn, allows drivers to pursue additional employment opportunities, only taking trips when there is demand from commuters,” he added.

Ernakulam Regional Transport Officer Shefiq B., said that these initiatives would help prevent obstructive parking in narrow junctions and congested areas, as the the stationing of autorickshaws at stands would no longer be necessary. “These, along with GPS-based platforms that have become the norm globally, will also reduce operational costs. For those who are unfamiliar with online ride booking, a system can be developed where autorickshaws arrive at a designated place, perhaps activated by pressing a switch or via a common phone number,” he suggested.