A new AI-powered road safety system is about to hit Malaysian highways and it’s designed to catch speedsters in ways old cameras couldn’t. Known as the Automated Awareness Safety System (AWAS), this upgrade is a step up from the previous AES (Automated Enforcement System). With smart features and high-tech cameras, it aims to make our roads safer and drivers a little more mindful of their speed.

So, how exactly does it work?

Instead of using the traditional method of snapping your speed at a single point, AWAS uses point-to-point detection. This means the system calculates how long it takes you to travel between two points, like toll plazas, and checks whether your travel time matches the speed limit. For instance, if the route is supposed to take you 30 minutes at 110km/h, but you make it in 20, surprise, you were speeding!

And don’t try to trick the system by taking a break to delay your arrival time. According to the Ministry of Transport, the AI built into AWAS is smart enough to detect stops along the way, ensuring people don’t game the system.

The brains behind this system include Ekin Spotter cameras, which come with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) and can track vehicles zooming past at speeds of up to 320km/h. Combined with artificial intelligence, AWAS isn’t just watching, it’s calculating, analysing, and learning.

Pilot testing to kickoff later in 2025

While the new AWAS cameras have already been installed across Malaysia, testing hasn’t officially started yet. According to the Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke’s office, there’s still no confirmed date for the trials. This comes after an earlier announcement in March by Transport Ministry Secretary-General Jana Santhiran Muniayan, who mentioned that the trials were expected to begin in June.

When the trials do begin, they’ll be limited to two major highways:

• KL–Karak Expressway (Genting Sempah to Gombak R&R)
• North–South Expressway (Senawang to Simpang Ampat toll plaza)

In short, AWAS is bringing a smarter, stricter way of enforcing speed limits and it’s going to be a lot harder to dodge this one. So even if the start date’s still up in the air, you might want to start adjusting your driving habits now.