Chicago Expands Automated Bus-and-Bike Lane Enforcement with Hayden AI Pilot

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has launched a pilot program equipping six of its buses with the ­Hayden AI “ABLE” camera-systems to enforce parking and standing violations in bus lanes, bus stops and bike lanes as part of the City of Chicago’s “Smart Streets” initiative.

The contract for the six-bus deployment, including hardware and services, amounts to US $315,852, with provisions for expansion of up to 94 additional cameras if the pilot proves successful. The system uses two windshield-mounted cameras and an onboard processor to detect violations in real time; captured events are manually reviewed by Hayden AI before being sent to the city’s Department of Finance for ticketing.

The pilot covers the downtown area bounded by Lake Michigan, North Avenue, Ashland Avenue and Roosevelt Road, and is set to run for two years through December 2026. A 30-day warning period began on October 15, 2025; citations will issue once that ends.

This deployment makes Chicago the 10th major U.S. city to adopt Hayden AI’s bus-mounted automated enforcement technology.