How Generative AI is Transforming Traffic Management and Urban Planning for Safer Cities

Traffic Management Challenges

Modern cities face a growing challenge: how to manage increasingly complex traffic systems in a way that keeps people safe and moving efficiently. With more data than ever coming from connected vehicles, smartphones, road sensors, and public infrastructure, transportation planning has become both an opportunity and a burden. Recently, INRIX, a company known for its expertise in traffic data analysis, announced a new step forward in this area by teaming up with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Their goal? To use generative AI to make traffic planning faster, smarter, and more responsive.

Generative AI Solutions

At the heart of this collaboration is INRIX Compass, a tool powered by AWS’s generative AI platform called Amazon Bedrock. This system helps transportation planners identify high-risk areas—such as intersections where pedestrians or cyclists are more likely to be involved in accidents—and suggests safety improvements. What makes this approach different is that users can interact with the system using natural language. For example, someone might ask, “Where are the most dangerous places for pedestrians in my city?” and get back not only data-driven answers but also specific recommendations for how to improve those locations.

Visualizing Traffic Changes

One of the standout features of this solution is its ability to visualize these recommendations almost instantly. Traditionally, creating visual representations of proposed changes—like adding crosswalks or adjusting road layouts—required weeks of work from engineers and designers. Now, thanks to Amazon Nova Canvas (a tool within Amazon Bedrock), these visuals can be generated automatically using AI. This includes realistic street-view images showing what the changes would look like in context. The process combines text-based instructions with image editing tools that can add or modify elements within photos while keeping them visually consistent.

Human Oversight Remains Key

Of course, no technology is perfect. While this AI-driven approach significantly speeds up planning and design cycles, it still depends on accurate input data and thoughtful human oversight. Urban planning involves many stakeholders—from engineers to local governments—and their feedback remains essential. The AI helps streamline the process but doesn’t replace expert judgment.

INRIX’s Innovative History

Looking at INRIX’s history, this move fits well with their long-standing focus on using real-time vehicle data to improve mobility and safety. Over the past two decades, they’ve introduced several innovations based on GPS and sensor data from connected cars. In 2023, they launched INRIX Compass as a way to bring generative AI into their existing platform. The recent project with California’s Department of Transportation (Caltrans) builds on that foundation by applying Compass to real-world safety problems involving vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists.

Broader Trends in AI

This direction also aligns with broader trends in AI development at AWS. Over the past year or two, AWS has been expanding its generative AI offerings through services like Amazon Bedrock and Nova Canvas. These tools are designed not just for tech companies but also for industries like transportation, healthcare, and finance—fields where large amounts of data need to be turned into practical insights quickly.

The Future of Urban Planning

In summary, the collaboration between INRIX and AWS offers a glimpse into how advanced AI tools can help solve everyday challenges like traffic safety and urban mobility. By combining massive datasets with user-friendly interfaces and powerful visualization capabilities, they’re making it easier for cities to plan smarter solutions faster than before. While there’s still work ahead in refining these systems and ensuring they meet local needs, the progress so far shows how technology can support better decision-making without replacing human expertise.