Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — In a move to tackle urban traffic congestion, the Ministry of Interior, through its Public Security division, has unveiled the "Congestion Hackathon."

This initiative aims at fostering the development of smarter cities by identifying innovative solutions to traffic congestion. The announcement came during the World Forum for Smart Cities, which took place on Tuesday in Riyadh, under the theme "Better Life." The event was orchestrated by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA).

The hackathon is designed to attract technical students, programmers, and artificial intelligence engineers with a passion for enhancing the transportation sector on both a local and global scale. The event seeks to bolster community engagement, analyze traffic patterns using big data, craft efficient planning strategies, and suggest novel or enhanced frameworks for the innovative management of traffic flows.

This collaborative effort is supported by SDAIA and involves partnerships with the Ministry of Municipalities, Rural Affairs and Housing, the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, and the Riyadh Region Municipality.

The Global Smart Cities Forum, where the hackathon was announced, aims to establish a forward-thinking vision for city futures empowered by smart solutions. It focuses on laying down fundamental principles that underpin city development strategies, striving for sustainable urban growth that significantly improves the quality of life for its inhabitants.