What happens when data scientists, transport engineers, road safety specialists, and innovators are asked to rethink one of the most important questions in road safety? 

The answer was on display at the AI for Safer Roads: Safer Speeds Innovation Challenge 2026, which culminated in a Final Pitch Event on 28 October 2026. After months of development and competition, four finalist teams emerged from a field of 46 teams representing 15 countries, bringing fresh ideas and AI-powered approaches to the challenge of improving speed management. 

What stood out throughout the event was not only the technical quality of the solutions, but also the passion and commitment of the teams behind them. While the challenge of managing speeds safely is not a new one, the finalists approached it from fresh perspectives, bringing innovative thinking and new ideas to a long-standing road safety issue. 

The finalists and winning teams 

The finalists included Team 5S (USA and India), Team Neural City (India), Team SpeedTruth (USA), and Team GauDT (Singapore). Each team delivered a five-minute presentation before an international jury comprising experts from industry, academia, development organizations, and government. Their solutions were assessed on methodology, scalability, data quality, usability, and practical application. 

Team 5S was awarded first place and also received the Audience Choice Award. The team will now have the opportunity to further develop and pilot its solution with ADB. 

Team Neural City was awarded second place for its comprehensive decision-support approach. 

The people behind the innovation 

Beyond the competition itself, the event was a reminder that innovation is ultimately about people. For many participants, the challenge was motivated by a desire to prevent the loss and trauma caused by road crashes. 

As Team 5S member Kentaro Iio reflected: “I changed my career to traffic engineering because I wanted to save lives. This has been my dream job. I’m really hoping we keep improving and polishing our product, and actually save lives through this.” 

His teammate Vivek Gupta spoke about the personal experiences that inspired their work: “We have been hearing news about some of our relatives, some of our close ones, getting hurt or killed in a crash. As transportation engineers, this felt like a perfect opportunity to build something that could make a difference.” 

Looking ahead 

APRSO extends its congratulations to all participating teams, finalists, jury members, mentors, speakers, and partners whose contributions made the challenge possible. Their collective efforts demonstrate the value of bringing together diverse perspectives to tackle long-standing road safety challenges and explore new pathways toward a safer future. 

The conversation around the role of emerging technologies in road safety is only beginning. As AI and other digital tools continue to evolve, they offer exciting opportunities to strengthen evidence-based decision-making and support safer transport systems across Asia and the Pacific. 

Stay tuned to APRSO as we continue to explore how innovation, data, and technology can help address the region's road safety challenges and support the journey toward safer roads for all. 

More information about the challenge and a replay of the Final Pitch Event are available through the AI for Safer Roads Pitch Event Results page.