AI May Be Coming to a Street Near You

by Cindy Goldstein -

An intriguing approach to traffic data analysis and policing may be coming to the Village.  At the July 13, 2026, Work Session, Chief of Police PJ Trujillo presented a proposal from Urban SDK (SDK), a company that describes itself as providing public leaders with innovative data and actionable insights for mission-critical solutions.

What It Is

Simply put, it’s a geospatial AI platform used by local governments and others to provide automated data on vehicle speeds, traffic volume and congestion.  Trujillo asked the Board of Trustees (BOT) to consider purchasing the platform to “address ongoing speeding complaints and broader traffic-related issues throughout the Village…”  (See HERE.) The memo outlines potential uses for the platform, including prioritizing enforcement based on objective analytics, validating and responding more effectively to resident complaints, and improving decision-making for traffic-calming measures, signage, and roadway design.  It is also expected that police department staff time could be reduced and redirected because of the data that would be available.

Big Brother Is Watching

If this sounds a little intrusive, Trujillo went on to describe the program as gathering general data on how vehicles are being driven in the Village, but not details about the driver.  Since 2012, all cars have been equipped with an online platform to collect vehicle data.  Features such as OnStar and Apple CarPlay are already capturing the vehicle’s driving history.  SDK’s platform synthesizes the data and makes it available to subscribers.

So Far So Good

The police department has been using the platform for four months on a free trial basis.  Trujillo said they have found it very helpful and that it would contribute to pedestrian and traffic safety.  The BOT is considering the expenditure, which, for a one-year contract, would be just under $16,000. (See HERE.)