After a year of technical trials and field testing, Florence is preparing to introduce Guardium, the artificial intelligence-based traffic enforcement system originally developed under the name “Cerbero”. According to officials at Palazzo Vecchio, the technology is expected to become operational by the end of June, changing the way parking violations and vehicle checks are carried out across the city.
The system will be installed on four municipal police patrol cars equipped with roof-mounted cameras and automated scanning technology. The vehicles will operate alongside the city’s existing Scout Speed units already used for traffic enforcement. One patrol will be assigned specifically to the UNESCO historic centre. Municipal officials say the aim is to improve the efficiency of routine checks, while reducing the amount of time officers spend carrying out manual inspections.
The launch had originally been expected earlier this year, but implementation was delayed by technical issues involving synchronization with databases managed by Servizi alla Strada (SAS), Florence’s road services authority. During testing, the software reportedly produced occasional inaccuracies when cross-checking parking permits and resident authorizations, prompting additional refinements before approval was granted.
Unlike a traditional speed camera, Guardium does not record vehicle speed. Instead the system combines automated video surveillance with direct access to public administrative databases. Each patrol car is fitted with three bidirectional cameras capable of automatically reading licence plates as vehicles move through the city. The information is transmitted in real time to a central operations platform that can verify resident parking permits, parking payments, insurance coverage, vehicle inspection status and circulation authorizations. If a possible violation is detected, officers receive an alert and can carry out further checks or issue fines where necessary.
If the June launch proceeds as planned, Florence will become one of the first major Italian cities to deploy AI-assisted municipal patrols on this scale.
