Technology has always been at the heart of the rail industry, and it has been vital as the industry has expanded and evolved over the years. Technology can be utilized in many different ways, including enhancing the customer experience, increasing safety and improving production. As with most industries, there are always new technologies being tested and developed that we could see widespread within the next few years. So, what exactly are these technologies that are on the horizon and how will they improve the rail industry as a whole? Read on to find out more about new technology and the rail industry.
AI and Facial Recognition
Facial recognition, for better or worse, has come on leaps and bounds in recent years and it is easy to see this technology being incorporated in many different ways in the near future. One of the better ways that it will be used is to replace ticket barriers so that passengers can gain access to platforms and train via facial recognition devices. This is beneficial because ticket barriers can slow down the flow of traffic and this can be problematic (as anyone who commutes on a daily basis will testify).
Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality
AR and VR have also grown rapidly within the last few years and are now being used extensively in a wide range of different industries. This includes the rail industry where designers are able to develop 3-D models of products and test their capability without having to actually manufacture the product.
Smart Apps
We have already started to see rail apps where passengers can view travel information and book tickets, but you can expect this to continue to develop over the years to deliver a far superior experience. This could include onboard usages for both staff and passengers providing a real-time and accurate view of the journey. Easy access to relevant information is a key factor in why passengers will return again and again.
Promoting Your Services
One way in which technology can be used by any business is to promote and boost outreach. Social media pages, photo sharing websites and online content can go a long way in developing a better relationship with customers by personalizing the service they are getting. One way to do this would be to create videos with Adobe Spark. By showing awareness of current trends within the marketing world, relationships with frequent travelers and users of the service can better understand what you are offering.
Security
Much like any industry, security is always looking to be improved and particularly in the travel industry. The future could see things like luggage monitoring, CCTV panic buttons and an increase in cyber-security.
Technology and the rail industry go hand-in-hand and have done for many years. This will only continue in the near future as amazing advances are being made that will benefit the rail industry greatly whether it is improving customer experience or improving the efficiency. These are just a few of the most current advances which are likely to be introduced in the next few years and, in some cases, are already being used today.