Hitachi Rail Enhances Railway Analysis with NVIDIA AI Technology

Hitachi Rail Integrates NVIDIA AI for Enhanced Railway Operations

Hitachi Rail, a leading global transportation company with a presence in over 50 countries, has announced an innovative integration of NVIDIA’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This strategic move aims to lower maintenance costs for rail operators, reduce train idling time, and improve transit reliability for passengers.

The collaboration includes the adoption of NVIDIA IGX, an industrial-grade, enterprise-level platform. NVIDIA IGX offers high-bandwidth sensor processing, powerful AI computing capabilities, functional safety features, and robust enterprise security. Hitachi Rail plans to incorporate this technology into its new HMAX platform, enabling real-time processing of sensor and camera data.

Real-time data processing is a game-changer for Hitachi Rail clients. It allows for quicker detection of train tracks in need of repair, monitoring of overhead power lines, and assessment of the health of trains and signaling equipment. By eliminating the lag between data collection and analysis, the HMAX platform will significantly enhance operational efficiency and safety.

Hitachi Rail has estimated that proactive maintenance is approximately seven times less costly than emergency repairs necessitated by unexpected infrastructure failures. Their existing AI monitoring systems have already demonstrated significant improvements, reducing service delays by up to 20%, reducing train maintenance costs by up to 15%, and cutting energy consumption at train depots by up to 40% through decreased fuel costs.

The integration of NVIDIA IGX and NVIDIA Holoscan platform for sensor processing will further enhance these savings. By enabling real-time analysis, Hitachi Rail aims to increase operational efficiency and safety, providing substantial benefits to both operators and passengers.

Koji Agatsuma, executive director and chief technology officer of rail vehicles at Hitachi Rail, commented on the collaboration, stating, “Using previous digital monitoring systems, it would take a few days to process the data and discover issues that need attention. If we can instead conduct real-time prediction using NVIDIA technology, that enables us to avoid service disruptions and significantly improve safety, reliability, and operating costs.”

NVIDIA IGX Powers Real-Time AI Engine

Hitachi Rail has built upon its existing collection of HMAX applications, which currently run on data from 8,000 train cars across 2,000 trains. By leveraging NVIDIA IGX and the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform, Hitachi Rail has developed new accelerated AI applications to help operators monitor train fleets and infrastructure. NVIDIA AI Enterprise provides tools, pretrained models, and application frameworks to streamline the development and deployment of production-grade AI applications.

These new applications, soon to be available through the HMAX platform, will process vast quantities of data streaming from sensors onboard trains. This data can be integrated from existing systems or imported from third-party software already in use by the customer.

For instance, in the U.K., each Hitachi Rail train is equipped with sensors that report nearly 50,000 data points as frequently as every fifth of a second. AI infrastructure that keeps pace with this data flow can send train operators timely alerts when a component of a train or rail line needs maintenance. Additionally, AI insights can be accessed through a chatbot interface, helping operators easily identify trends and optimize maintenance schedules.

Agatsuma emphasized the importance of this technology, stating, “If a potential issue isn’t identified and fixed promptly, it can result in a service disruption that causes significant economic loss for our customers and impacts the passengers who rely on these transit lines. NVIDIA AI infrastructure has enabled us to get immediate alerts on thousands of miles of railway for the first time, which we anticipate will reduce delays and disruptions to passenger travel.”

Driving Benefits Down the Track

The benefits of this technology extend beyond monitoring trains and tracks. By mounting cameras atop trains, Hitachi Rail can monitor overhead power lines to identify degrading electric cables and prevent disruptive failures. Traditionally, processing one day’s worth of video data collected by the train could take up to 10 days. However, with NVIDIA-accelerated sensor processing, data can be processed in real time at the edge, sending only relevant information back to operational control centers for analysis and action.

The integration of NVIDIA AI technology into Hitachi Rail’s operations marks a significant advancement in the transportation industry. By utilizing real-time data processing and AI-driven insights, Hitachi Rail is poised to enhance safety, reliability, and operational efficiency, ultimately benefiting both operators and passengers.

For more information about the NVIDIA IGX platform, visit NVIDIA’s official website.

Main image courtesy of Hitachi Rail.

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