AI-powered cameras are cracking down on solo drivers in HOV 3+ lanes — recovering tolls, protecting fairness, and raising privacy questions.
If you’ve driven the 91 Freeway Express Lanes lately and felt like the road was watching you back — you’re not wrong. But before you imagine a dystopian traffic panopticon, here’s what’s actually happening.
Riverside County has rolled out a new Occupancy Detection System (ODS) designed to enforce carpool rules on the 91 Express Lanes. The technology doesn’t track where you go or who you are — its job is much simpler: counting how many people are in your car.
And yes, it can see through tinted windows.
How the System Works (No, It’s Not Guessing)
According to the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), the ODS uses computer vision and specialized photography to capture images of a vehicle’s interior as cars pass through checkpoints at the end of the express lanes.
Here’s the process:
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Cameras take multiple images through the windshield, capturing front and back seats.
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AI software flags possible violations — like a solo driver in an HOV 3+ lane.
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Human reviewers, not just algorithms, make the final call.
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Faces are blurred, and images are stored under state and federal privacy laws, RCTC says.
“This system is about fairness,” the agency explains in its official materials, noting that drivers who follow the rules shouldn’t subsidize those who don’t.
Why the County Says It’s Necessary
Since launching in August 2025, the system has identified thousands of violations and recovered more than $1 million in unpaid tolls and fees, according to RCTC data. That includes catching drivers who tried to outsmart the cameras with props — mannequins, gym bags, even inflatable passengers.
Spoiler alert: the cameras aren’t fooled.
If a violation is confirmed, drivers are charged the full toll plus a $5 correction fee — not a ticket, but a financial nudge back into compliance.
Privacy, Trust, and a Reality Check
Any time cameras peer inside vehicles, privacy concerns follow — especially in communities already wary of surveillance. Transportation officials emphasize that the system is not used for law enforcement, immigration enforcement, or facial recognition.
Still, the rollout raises a broader question cities across Southern California are grappling with: how much technology is acceptable in the name of efficiency?
For now, the county’s answer is narrow and specific. The cameras aren’t watching you. They’re watching the seat next to you.
So if you’re riding solo in the carpool lane, the message is simple: the road knows — and the gym bag doesn’t count.
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