Côte d'Ivoire: AI + Transportation Safeguards Economic Integration in West Africa

Côte d'Ivoire, often dubbed the "Pearl of West Africa," is a vital trade center and a pillar of the Francophone economy, thanks to its rich natural resources and strategic location. In recent years, the country has sustained an average annual GDP growth exceeding 6%, positioning it among West Africa's fastest-growing economies.

Background and Challenges

Côte d'Ivoire's National Development Plan (PND) 2021–2025 aims to reduce annual road casualties by 25%, decrease road congestion by 15%, and significantly improve traffic order. As the primary agency executing this strategy, the Urban Mobility Authority of Greater Abidjan (AMUGA), under Côte d'Ivoire's Ministry of Transport, spearheads transportation informatization in the capital Abidjan. It is tasked with lowering road accident rates as well as managing and coordinating urban mobility throughout Greater Abidjan. It oversees six highways totaling 1,114 km that serve as key access routes to the city. The lack of power and network infrastructure along these roads heightens the risk of traffic accidents caused by reckless driving like speeding and wrong-way driving. Meanwhile, as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) drives integrated economic development, vehicle traffic from neighboring countries like Mali and Burkina Faso is rising. Current license plate recognition algorithms cannot identify foreign plates, limiting refined management of these vehicles. As a result, unsafe driving by foreign motorists continues to elevate accident risks and worsen congestion.

Device-Cloud AI Collaboration Facilitates West Africa Integration

Facing challenges in managing reckless driving and recognizing license plates for foreigner-registered vehicles, AMUGA has partnered with Huawei to deploy an AI-powered all-scenario sensing solution.

Device-cloud AI collaborative sensing: The site deploys AI visual sensing devices to detect and identify various license plates and reckless driving behaviors, transmitting data to the data center in real time via microwave. In the data center, AI models are trained on license plate data from multiple countries and then deployed to site sensors for ongoing iteration. This eliminates the need for separate small models for each country's license plates. Additionally, the system automatically and accurately detects unsafe driving behaviors like speeding, seat belt violations, and mobile phone use in real time, achieving over 90% accuracy and vastly enhancing law enforcement efficiency.

Green site: The integrated pole site features both microwave and batteries. It uses technologies such as microwave wireless self-networking and independent solar power generation to overcome power and network gaps in remote areas, ensuring reliable long-distance transmission of detection data.

Digital and intelligent platform: The platform offers extensive data on reckless driving, device status, and more. By breaking down data silos and enabling 24/7 analysis and handling, it maximizes data value, accurately identifies and manages high-risk vehicles, and helps prevent accidents through timely intervention.

Social Impact

Following the project's launch, the road traffic accident rate dropped significantly, effectively safeguarding lives and property. Multiple media outlets in Côte d'Ivoire have reported positively on the project, earning it widespread public recognition and support.

Ongoing Cooperation

Guided by Côte d'Ivoire's National Development Plan (PND) 2021–2025, the government will continue partnering with Huawei to advance intelligent transportation systems (ITSs) across the national road network. This collaboration aims to usher Côte d'Ivoire into a new phase of digital and intelligent traffic management, bolstering integration, connectivity, and growth within ECOWAS.