Hanoi to replace traffic police with AI surveillance cameras by December 18, 2025

Speaking at a citywide environmental meeting on Monday, Lieutenant General Nguyen Thanh Tung, head of the Hanoi Department of Public Security, said the new AI system will allow authorities to manage traffic without physical police presence.

The plan is part of Hanoi’s broader efforts to modernize public safety and urban management.

Tung announced that 261 AI-equipped cameras with 10 integrated functions have already been installed across the Vietnamese capital.

These cameras offer capabilities such as facial recognition, license plate detection, lane management, and crowd monitoring.

“From the command center, we can monitor all the way to the Ben Duc area near Huong Pagoda [located in suburban Hanoi] and even identify individual passengers on boats,” the police chief said.

The AI-powered surveillance system is expected to be fully operational in time for Vietnam’s 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19) and National Day (September 2).

Tung emphasized that once fully deployed, the system would not only manage traffic efficiently but also recognize wanted individuals and report them directly to authorities.

A second phase, slated for completion in the third quarter of 2026, will further enhance the system to identify environmental violations.

“By June 2026, the AI network will automatically detect improper waste disposal and violations on sidewalks, ensuring more orderly public behavior,” Tung said.

Concluding the meeting, Tran Sy Thanh, chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, stressed the importance of environmental cleanliness as both a public service and a measure of urban discipline.

Thanh announced a month-long environmental cleanup campaign ahead of National Day, urging departments to renew the city’s appearance and instill civic pride among residents.