The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has launched a new pilot program that will use artificial intelligence (AI) tech to proactively detect potential subway and commuter rail track defects before they escalate into operational issues that disrupt service to customers.
The MTA serves a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut.
MTA is working with the Rapid Innovation Team at Google Public Sector to use the TrackInspect prototype. The prototype integrates sensor hardware with advanced cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to detect potential track issues.
The program retrofits Google Pixel smartphones with standard, off-the-shelf plastic cases and puts them onto R46 subway cars on the line to capture subtle vibrations and sound patterns through built-in sensors equipped with an attached microphone – all with the goal of signaling the need for preventive maintenance.
The MTA explained that the sound and vibration data is sent in real time to cloud-based systems, where artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms generate predictive insights.
According to the MTA, New York City Transit (NYCT) track inspectors serve as “humans in the loop,” inspecting locations highlighted by the system to confirm whether there is an issue and to provide feedback to continuously train the model. TrackInspect also uses generative AI tech for natural language processing, allowing inspectors to ask questions about maintenance history, protocols, and repair standards, and to receive clear, conversational answers.
“By being able to detect early defects in the rails, it saves not just money but also time – for both crew members and riders,” said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “This innovative program – which is the first of its kind – uses AI technology to not only make the ride smoother for customers but also make track inspector’s jobs safer by equipping them with more advanced tools.”
Alongside the pilot program, the MTA also released a Request for Expressions of Interest for other companies who have developed sensors or analytical capabilities that can “plug in” to this ecosystem.
