The city of Sofia in Bulgaria recently announced a pilot project for a digital system

to be installed on city’s buses. The system will gather information about traffic,
road infrastructure, potholes, street signage, garbage cans, and street markings.

Two city buses will be equipped with front-mounted cameras that are capable of
creating Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Every time the buses pass along
their routes, they will rescan their surroundings and update the GIS to provide an
evolving picture of the city’s infrastructure. To enhance traffic safety, the cameras
can also emit proximity signals alerting drivers when they get too close to a
pedestrian, street sign, or another vehicle.

The city’s Deputy Mayor for Finance, Healthcare and Transport, Doncho Barbalov,
stated that since the systems were deployed they have already reported
irregularities in the road infrastructure. During the trial run on one of the main
boulevards in Sofia, the buses registered five collisions with pedestrians - two of
which turned out to be related to faulty railings. Bus drivers have stated that they
feel more confident while doing their job, as the cameras provide them legal
protection and an additional safety layer through the signaling options.

Sofia was chosen as the "smart city" of the year for Southeast Europe in 2022, and
also as one of four cities- alongside Brussels, Dublin and Tirana - to develop the
European Union's Digital Rights Management Framework. Sofia also ranks as a
city leader in the European Mission for Carbon-Neutral and Smart Cities until the
year 2030.