Ask HN: How to identify the number of people on a bus?
What kind of technology (LiDAR or ViDAR) would help us identify the number of people on a bus?
People inside might have RFID / NFC technology with them, like badges, but we can't count on them 100% as someone might forget or not have that piece at all.
Of course, buses will slow down when they come to a "checkpoint" to allow devices (cameras) to perform better scanning.
By the way, it's a civil project, nothing to do with law enforcement. A huge convention center wants to know in advance, if 100 buses are coming, what number of participants to expect at their gate. While in college and the University of Texas in Austin I had job counting people getting on and off the city busses and UT shuttles. Wouldn't it be a bit late when they are already in the buses? Nope. That's the case. Ask the driver, they will know. Hah :D, drivers always know but some of 'em are lazy! Even so, I'm willing to bet that having the drivers count passengers and report that count would be more accurate and less expensive than a technological solution. The case is for a tech solution. Put up a cell tower. Count the number of cell phones. Most people cary a phone