UK government using AI tools to check up on roadworthy testing centers

Who tests the testers?

The UK's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has produced a list showing how the country uses AI technologies to perform tasks ranging from speeding up the planning process to prioritizing the inspection of MOT testing centers.

Most vehicles more than three years-old are assessed annually by an MOT (Ministry of Transport) test road worthiness, as required by local law. The test requires examiners at approved testing centers to check areas such as vehicle safety and emissions.

There are thousands of testing centers in the UK, and all need to be regularly inspected themselves. In the past, inspections were prioritized in order of the time since the last check. Now, however, data from MOT tests is evaluated by an AI tool to spot anomalies. Every garage is assigned a traffic light rating to identify which testing center should be inspected first.

It's a sensible use of AI, which is useful for spotting patterns in data. The technology has also been deployed at a regional level to spot potholes (although dealing with them will still require funding and human intervention).

In this instance, the AI tool will prioritize garages, but the actual inspections will still require humans.

DSIT gave other examples: "AI and satellite images are being used to predict how natural habitats are changing across the country, so more current data can be used to accelerate planning proposals and stop NIMBYism getting in the way of growth and the Plan for Change."

The announcement comes as world leaders gather for the AI Action Summit in Paris. The UK government has also published its AI Playbook, which contains ten principles "to guide the safe, responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) in government organizations."

The principles range from knowing what AI can and can't do (taking a steer from Ireland's AI chief?) – to using AI lawfully, ethically, and responsibly.

According to DSIT, the new AI Playbook "gives public sector technical experts top tips and guiding principles on how to replicate this work and build AI to help their organizations fix services for citizens – ultimately delivering on the government's ambition to transform public services with AI."

The UK government is betting on AI tools to deliver efficiencies and economic growth. However, as the AI Playbook demonstrates, the technology requires careful consideration before deployment. While it is excellent at spotting patterns or anomalies in large amounts of data, caution must be taken before it is used to make decisions autonomously. ®