trafficmonitor.ai: Empowering Communities with Privacy-First, Open-Source Traffic Monitoring

trafficmonitor.ai is an open-source, edge-based roadway monitoring system that combines real-time object detection and radar speed tracking using a Coral AI co-processor and Doppler radar sensor. Designed for both permanent and temporary deployment, it operates entirely on-device with no cloud storage, ensuring data privacy and compliance with law enforcement standards. Ideal for citizen scientists, urban planners, and transportation advocates, it supports customizable event triggers, environmental sensor integration, and seamless connectivity via MQTT and HTTP to platforms like ThingsBoard and Home Assistant. The system is built on accessible hardware—Raspberry Pi 5, Camera Module 3, and Coral TPU—making it easy to assemble and extend with additional AI models such as license plate recognition or vehicle classification. With strong community support and a focus on transparency and responsibility, trafficmonitor.ai enables users to monitor traffic safely, ethically, and independently.

Key Features:

• Real-time roadway object detection powered by edge AI (Coral AI co-processor)
• Doppler radar sensor for accurate speed and direction reporting, certified for law enforcement use
• On-device data processing and storage—no cloud dependency for enhanced privacy
• Support for permanent deployment in weatherproof enclosures up to 100 meters from roadways
• Flexible temporary deployment with compact design, low power consumption, and optional battery/solar power
• Configurable event-based capture: snapshots and video triggered by speeding, zone entry, or custom criteria
• Telemetry integration via MQTT and HTTP data feeds, compatible with ThingsBoard, Home Assistant, and other IoT platforms
• Expandable AI model support: add models for license plate recognition, vehicle make/model classification, and more
• Built on open, accessible commodity hardware: Raspberry Pi 5, Camera Module 3, Coral TPU
• Open-source platform with active community contributions and DIY building support
• Integration with environmental sensors (temperature, pressure, humidity, light, gas, noise, PM 2.5)

Pricing: trafficmonitor.ai is available as a free open-source project with no cost for the software and core components. Pre-built units and kits are in development and will be offered under a future freemium model, with early access available via newsletter subscription.

Conclusion: trafficmonitor.ai is a powerful, privacy-focused, and community-driven solution for intelligent traffic monitoring, combining edge AI and radar technology to enable transparent, responsible, and accessible roadway data collection for all.