An AI surveillance system installed to address chronic lane-cutting on Gwangan Bridge has remained inactive for three years due to delays in regulatory review.
Despite its installation in March 2023 at a cost of approximately 200 million won, the camera system has yet to be approved for actual enforcement.
Designed to identify and penalize illegal lane changes during traffic congestion, the AI-based system uses deep learning image analysis to detect violations automatically.
City officials hoped the system would alleviate congestion and curb the persistent issue of cut-ins, which number over 10,000 incidents annually on the bridge. However, the system remains in test mode, collecting data but not issuing fines.
The delay stems from the National Police Agency’s failure to complete a required review of the system’s performance.
Because this is the first attempt to implement AI-based cut-in enforcement nationwide, the agency must revise its “Unmanned Surveillance Equipment Police Standards” to create a legal basis for operation.
Although Busan City submitted the technology for review in May 2023, the review did not proceed due to concerns over accuracy and conflicts with the agency’s internal development schedule.
A police official noted that the system’s error rate remains too high for enforcement and emphasized the need for a full review to determine if the technology meets the required standards.
In the absence of automated enforcement, illegal cut-ins on Gwangan Bridge continue to be policed manually.
The area near Igidae Junction is a particular hotspot, with over 23,000 violations recorded last year and more than 8,000 so far in 2025, according to Haeundae Police.
Until the AI system clears regulatory approval, enforcement will remain limited, and the city’s investment in automated traffic control remains unrealized.
