Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to help agencies issue parking fines and tickets, but Marc Pfeiffer, senior policy fellow at Rutgers University’s Center for Urban Policy Research, said on Apr. 13 that human oversight remains essential to avoid mistakes.
The discussion comes as more cities look to AI solutions due to understaffed enforcement teams. The importance of balancing efficiency with accuracy has grown as automated systems become more common in public services.
Pfeiffer said, “everybody adopting any of these [artificial intelligence] technologies needs to address the risks … and develop appropriate risk reduction or mitigation strategies.” He also noted the need for subject matter expertise: “AI seems so confident, and the language [the tech] uses is intended to build confidence in you.” Pfeiffer added that agency staff should be trained on how AI works and its limitations so they can double-check results or spot errors needing further review. Without this expertise, he warned there could be an increase in mistakes such as incorrectly issued fines. “There will be times when there is an egregious error made, and it’s going to snap back into the agency’s face,” Pfeiffer said.
Recent incidents highlight these concerns. According to reports from New York City, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority faced criticism after its AI-enabled cameras mistakenly flagged about 3,800 vehicles for blocking bus lanes in 2024; over 870 tickets were given to legally parked vehicles. Similar issues occurred in Alameda, California where some cars received $110 tickets despite being legally parked away from bus stops. Both agencies stated that human staff reviewed ticket cases before finalizing them.
These events show why proactive risk assessment and management are important before deploying AI tools for enforcement purposes. Pfeiffer explained that lawsuits or community backlash might have been avoided if prevention measures had been taken early.
According to the official website, the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy operates within Rutgers University as part of its commitment toward fostering just and healthy communities locally and globally. The school advances social impact through research centers focused on areas such as transportation policy—a field directly related to current debates about technology-driven parking enforcement—and has earned national recognition including a third-place ranking for its graduate urban planning program.
Stuart Shapiro assumed leadership as dean of the school in 2023 according to the official website. The institution also honors distinguished alumni through a Hall of Fame established in 2013.