Three Mesa garbage trucks can now see you before the driver does. The city has started testing an AI system on three of its 90 trash trucks. Each one runs five to seven high-definition cameras that detect people or objects in the truck’s path and set off an audible alarm. The system also alerts the driver when the truck’s arm is deployed, which is one of the easiest ways to cause an accident rolling down a residential street. Trash collection is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country according to OSHA. Mesa’s fleet serves more than 140,000 residential customers every week, and the city recorded 95 damage claims tied to its garbage trucks between June 2024 and April 2026. Solid Waste Division director Sherri Collins said some trucks are still using camera systems that are six to 10 years old, calling the upgrade “taking a 1990s technology and moving it into 2026.” Officials said safety is the main driver, with a specific emphasis on keeping children away from the trucks during...