Rome, December 22 – The city of Rome has reported a record-breaking collection of fines, totaling nearly 225 million euros, marking a significant 55 million euro increase compared to the previous year’s 170 million euros. This surge in revenue, primarily from traffic violations, is attributed to the Capitoline’s intensified road safety campaign, increased police presence, and the implementation of advanced technological systems, most notably the artificial intelligence system dubbed ‘Cerbero’.
Capitoline’s Road Safety Push Yields Results
The substantial increase in ‘extratributary revenues from households derived from the activity of control and repression of irregularities and illicit acts’ is detailed within the Executive Management Plan 2025-27. This document outlines the strategic objectives of the city’s Unified Programming Document (DUP) and the Municipal Budget Forecast.
The jump in sanctioned irregularities reflects a concerted effort to enhance road safety and enforce regulations. In the first eight months of 2025, traffic police responded to 22,400 incidents. Fines for illegal parking alone rose by 30 percent, from 407,000 in the first eight months of 2024 to 533,000 in the same period this year.
Reinforced Traffic Police and Electronic Surveillance
The enforcement efforts by traffic police have been bolstered by the recruitment of a thousand new officers, a measure partly in anticipation of the upcoming Jubilee. These on-the-ground interventions are complemented by approximately 650,000 irregularities detected through remote electronic surveillance systems, including ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) gates, traffic lights, and preferential lanes. This combined approach has resulted in over 1.3 million fines.
On some days, traffic police recorded a peak of 3,500 traffic violations within a 24-hour period, with 75 percent of these related to illegal parking. Despite increased controls, illegal parking remains a widespread issue in the city.
‘Cerbero’ AI System: A Game Changer in Enforcement
A key technological innovation contributing to the escalation of fines, and a significant source of municipal income, is the introduction of the artificial intelligence system ‘Cerbero’. This system has enabled the issuance of an average of 25,000 fines per week, totaling 100,000 per month. Each territorial group of traffic police is equipped with at least one ‘Cerbero’ device, which automatically identifies and fines illegal parking, such as double parking, parking on pedestrian crossings, or near intersections. The areas most affected by these controls include Centro, Prati, Parioli, Aurelio, and Appio-Tuscolano.
The electronic ‘eye’ of ‘Cerbero’, named after the mythological three-headed dog guarding the entrance to the Underworld, is a camera mounted on patrol cars. It can detect in real-time various data points, including whether parking has been paid, if vehicle registration and insurance are valid, and if a vehicle is illegally parked or double-parked.
Upon its launch, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri emphasized the city’s commitment to combating the deeply ingrained habit of illegal parking among Romans. He stated that
