New York City’s subways have integrated AI-powered smartphones to detect track issues. This innovation aims to enhance maintenance efficiency and reduce delays for commuters. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

New York City’s subways have integrated AI-powered smartphones to detect track issues. This innovation aims to enhance maintenance efficiency and reduce delays for commuters.
The MTA has partnered with Google Public Sector to prevent transit delays in NYCCredit: Getty

AI Integration in Subways

Rob Sarno, MTA’s assistant chief track officer, leads this modernization initiative. He believes artificial intelligence can enhance efficiency and reduce disruptions.

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Partnering with Google Public Sector, the project employs Pixel smartphones for data collection. Devices installed on subway cars continuously monitor sounds and vibrations for irregularities.

Benefits for Subway Maintenance

Between September 2024 and January 2025, four subway cars gathered 335 million sensor readings. The resulting 1,200 hours of audio helped refine AI models for track defect detection.

The TrackInspect program processes the collected data through advanced artificial intelligence algorithms. This analysis allows engineers to pinpoint potential infrastructure weaknesses before failures occur.

MTA representatives assured the public that privacy concerns had been addressed. The installed smartphones only capture track-related vibrations and do not record passengers’ conversations.

Despite AI integration, human inspectors remain involved in verifying flagged defects. Their input continuously refines the TrackInspect model for improved accuracy.

Sarno expects this technology to significantly reduce train service disruptions. He emphasizes the importance of proactive maintenance in enhancing commuter reliability.

Governor Kathy Hochul highlighted the subway system’s continued importance for daily transportation. She confirmed that over one billion trips were recorded in 2024.

She praised the MTA’s commitment to modernizing infrastructure. Investments in emerging technologies are essential for maintaining an efficient public transit system. Delays remain a challenge despite these technological advancements. The MTA recorded over 38,000 disruptions in September and 39,000 in October 2024.

TrackInspect’s accuracy has been impressive, identifying over 90 percent of defect locations. Google Public Sector confirmed these findings, emphasizing the system’s reliability.

With continued refinements, the MTA hopes to minimize delays and enhance commuter experiences. The integration of AI represents a major step forward in transit innovation.

Source: www.the-sun.com

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