UNAIR NEWS – Students from Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) have once again demonstrated their innovative capacity through a digital technology–driven initiative. A cross-disciplinary team led by Imamul Azis, a student from the Faculty of Pharmacy, earned third place in a scientific writing competition hosted by the Surabaya City Government. Their project, titled “DrivetyGuard: An Artificial Intelligence–Integrated, Real-Time Driving Safety Mitigation and Management Application,” proposes a preventive approach to addressing the high incidence of traffic accidents, particularly in urban environments. The competition took place from May to December 2025, culminating in a final event held on Wednesday (Dec 17, 2025) at Balai Pemuda, Surabaya.
Road safety as critical urban issue
Safina Natasya Ul Aulia, a member of the team, said the concept behind DrivetyGuard was inspired by everyday realities on the road. She pointed to the persistently high number of traffic accidents in Surabaya, many of which involve workers commuting to and from their jobs. Factors such as fatigue, poor physical condition, and neglect in wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), she noted, are often overlooked despite being among the primary causes of accidents.
She further explained that although Surabaya is widely recognized as a smart city, significant shortcomings remain in preventive road safety measures. In response, the team designed DrivetyGuard as a system that goes beyond reactive responses and instead prioritizes proactive risk reduction. “Our goal is to provide a solution that genuinely supports drivers before potential dangers escalate into accidents,” Aulia said.
The application relies on artificial intelligence (AI) as an automated monitoring tool. Using a smartphone camera, the system can detect whether users are wearing the required PPE without the need for manual inspection, ensuring that safety requirements are met before a trip begins.
Integrated innovation for non-natural disaster mitigation
Unlike standard navigation apps, DrivetyGuard adopts a holistic approach to driving safety management. Before starting a journey, users must complete checks related to PPE compliance, health status, and fatigue levels. Throughout the trip, the system continuously tracks location, route, and speed via GPS to identify potential risks in real time.
Aulia emphasized that traffic accidents are classified as non-natural disasters and therefore demand robust mitigation mechanisms. Through its emergency feature, DrivetyGuard allows users to report critical situations instantly, with location data automatically shared with relevant authorities to speed up response times. “A rapid response can significantly reduce the severity of accident impacts,” she said.
She added that DrivetyGuard has strong potential to be integrated into smart city–based urban transportation systems. The data collected by the application could support evidence-based policymaking by local governments. However, she acknowledged that shifting public behavior and limited internet connectivity in certain areas remain major challenges.
Moving forward, the DrivetyGuard team is seeking collaboration with government agencies, industry stakeholders, and transportation companies. Future development efforts will focus on enhancing application features, enabling cross-sector data integration, and expanding geographic coverage to ensure the innovation can benefit a broader segment of the public.
Author: Muhammad Afriza Atarizki
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
