You will be surprised how public transport looks like in the AI decade

Smart mobility in smart cities aims to make public transport more efficient, safer and more valuable for passengers. CCTV video technology, which today still needs the help of human operators to do its job, will soon perform more tasks fully automatically thanks to AI. Edge Computing brings smart video technology directly to camera systems on buses and trains.

In our blog you get plenty of use cases and inspiration for your industry; in our application store you get the latest video analytics applications for surveillance cameras that you can install with just a few clicks. Subscribe to our email newsletter to stay up to date on AI and IoT technology!

The future of public transportation

Soon, smart technology will perform more and more critical tasks in public transport to boost operations and security, saving human operators lots of time to focus on critical tasks. AI video analytics will play a key role in this, because IoT cameras can do much more than just video.

This list of applications could be extended. Wherever cameras are used in metro stations, trains and buses, Azena helps to unleash the power of AI for groundbreaking new applications. All you need to do is enable your cameras with our operating system to bring the latest AI video analytics to your devices. Let the following applications inspire you.

Comply with COVID-19 hygiene regulations

Monitoring social distancing in public transport is essential for complying with COVID-19 hygiene regulations. But even beyond the current situation, smart occupancy management becomes increasingly important to ensure passenger satisfaction. Therefore public transport operators should leave occupancy monitoring in vehicles to smart video technology.

Example: Social Distancing Detector and CVEDIA Talos Social Distancing are camera apps using AI video analytics to recognize automatically when passengers get too close to each other and do not keep the minimum distance. Connected to digital passenger information systems in vehicles, cameras can trigger announcements to remind passengers of the hygiene regulations.

Source: Eagle Eye Networks

Monitor face mask usage is just as crucial as social distancing to limit the spread of viruses in buses and trains. Enforcement of hygiene regulations is a top priority, but also a major challenge for public transport staff. CCTV cameras equipped with specific software for object recognition can help to ensure next-generation surveillance.

Example: Face Mask Detector and AI FaceDetect Deep are smart camera apps available in our Application Store that allow cameras to detect whether or not people are wearing masks, even in confined spaces and from long distances. Equipped with face mask recognition and located near train and bus doors cameras can help significantly improve and automate access control.

Make ticket inspections smarter & prevent fare evasion

Travelling without valid tickets on public transport is a major problem for many public transport operators around the world. Fare evasion, intentionally or accidentally, causes financial losses in the millions every year and leads to feelings of injustice and lack of security among paying passengers. Automated ticket control with smart video cameras in trains and buses could help reduce fare evasion and relieve employees, e.g. bus drivers, from ticket inspections.

Worth reading: How IoT is reshaping the future of video surveillance

Detect falls & accidents quickly and automate rescue

There are many causes of accidents and falls in trains and buses, e.g. due to sudden stops or caused by alcohol and illness. Drivers cannot keep an eye on their vehicles' interiors at all times, so critical incidents are often detected late and appropriate action is delayed. Smart video technology using AI can autonomously detect incidents and thus significantly support human operators.

Example: Fall Detection and AI Spill enable CCTV cameras to continuously monitor the behavior of passengers and detect if someone is lying or sitting on the floor which might be an indication of an emergency. Once a critical incident has been detected, cameras can trigger an action, such as notifying drivers or, connected to operating control systems, even slowing down or stopping vehicles. 

Source: SEMANTIVE

Keep seats & interior clean and usable

Passenger experience largely depends on keeping the interior of trains and buses clean at all times. Especially at night and during rush hours it is a challenge for operators to keep the seats in proper condition. Broken glass on the floor poses health threats. Maintenance personnel often cannot keep up with waste and dirt. This is where smart video technology comes into play.

Smart camera apps like Perimeter protection and Neurala Brain Builder use AI video analytics to detect objects and interpret their condition. Adapted to the specific needs of public transportation, these apps can detect dirt or waste on seats and floors in real-time and call for cleaning service.

Extra: Detect abandoned objects

Unmanned bags and boxes left behind on trains and buses can pose a threat to passenger safety as they may contain explosives. Even if they end up being harmless harmless, it is also important to identify and retrieve them as quickly as possible. AI-Lost enables security cameras to detect objects not moved for a period of time (therefore suspected of containing explosives).

Prevent violence, vandalism & alcohol

The main purpose of today's camera systems in urban trains is to give passengers a feeling of security. However, no human can keep track of the video information from all cameras at the same time, but AI Video Analytics can. The possibilities unlocked by leading-edge technology are virtually unlimited. What the human eye can see can also be recognized and analyzed by smart surveillance cameras, even when it comes to detecting violent or drunken passengers.

Did you know? Surveillance cameras equipped with AI emotion detection can interpret human facial expressions to detect pleasure and aggression. Learn more and find suitable camera apps in our Application Store - just search for "emotion detection".

Source: Tribe

Conclusion: there is more in your cameras than just video

Demands on safety and reliability of operations in public transport are getting more complex and challenging. Therefore, operators should take advantage of smart technology to ensure superior passenger experiences today and in the future.

Enabling existing camera systems in buses and trains with AI to perform more complex tasks is a great approach you can start immediately with minimum risk and investment. Visit our Application Store and find the applications you need to make your video surveillance future-proof.

Browse our Application Store for more Apps designed to get the most out of your camera system.