SMRT wins international award for train monitoring initiative

SINGAPORE - An initiative by rail operator SMRT that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor train services has clinched an award from the International Association of Public Transport (UITP).

The international transit advocacy organisation gave SMRT its 2023 award for operational excellence earlier this week at the UITP Global Public Transport Summit in Barcelona. The UITP awards recognise the most ambitious and innovative projects from around the world.

SMRT’s Project Overwatch, which is currently being used on the Circle Line, will continuously monitor the rail line in real time and alert staff in the operations control centre (OCC) if it detects any anomalies.

“This enables SMRT to reduce potential delays, accelerate operational response, and minimise disruption to commuters,” the public transport operator said.

Developed in-house and launched in October 2020, the Overwatch initiative is driven by AI and video analytics, SMRT said.

It added that the digital platform will be progressively rolled out on the North-South and East-West Lines in the first quarter of 2024.

Thereafter, Overwatch will be implemented on the Thomson-East Coast Line.

SMRT said it will continue adding new features to Overwatch, including data analytics of train passenger loading, bus information and travel route carbon counting.

UITP secretary-general Mohamed Mezghani said SMRT’s project “exceeded expectations on all the criteria that we set, enhancing quality of life in urban areas by promoting public transport while positioning it as the backbone of urban and local mobility”.