Train stations
Light barriers and AI – Railway forecast occupancy occupancy
In Hamburg and Berlin, Deutsche Bahn uses light barriers to determine passenger quantities in S-Bahn. Will the Hamburg model become a seller?
If a car is full, it turns to the reduction indicator red – the passenger can look for another entry zone early. This is already possible at most S-Bahn stations in Hamburg. At the Bahn daughter S-Bahn Hamburg there is hope that your system “DB Lightgate”, which is now using artificial intelligence, will prevail in Germany. But there are also doubts about that.
The functionality of the Hamburg system can be explained as follows: The Deutsche Bahn initially installs light barriers on both sides of the tracks. These measure how much light flows through the windows of the entrance and exit trains. The technology is based on the principle that with increasing number of passenger numbers, less light shines through the windows.
The railway compensates for the measurements with calculations of artificial intelligence. Historical data is also used. The forecast achieves an accuracy of more than 90 percent, said the head of “DB Lightgate”, Julia Kuhfuß.
Ads in Hamburg and Berlin
Deutsche Bahn started testing the technology at S-Bahn stations in Hamburg in January 2023. In the meantime, the information has 88 percent of all stations on occupancy advertisements.
“DB Lightgate” is also used in Berlin. The Bahn daughter S-Bahn Berlin has been testing the system since the end of September last year, including on the light rail and at Hermannstrasse train station, a spokesman announced on request. Artificial intelligence has not yet been used. The Hamburg S-Bahn boss Jan Schröder said Berlin was paying money for the product.
Cowfoot: tests in other cities
According to cow foot, there are tests in other German cities. In addition to Hamburg and Berlin, the “DB Lightgate” website also lists Munich, Leipzig and Frankfurt. Another system will be used in Frankfurt, said Kuhfuß.
Traffic expert has doubts about “DB Lightgate”
The traffic researcher Andreas Knie does not believe that “DB Lightgate” will prevail in Germany. He considers it more effective to automatically evaluate the platform’s camera recordings with artificial intelligence. According to his knowledge, this is practiced at more than 20 train stations. Google movement data can also easily determine how fully trains are.
Other situation in long -distance transport
“DB Lightgate” is currently not used in long -distance transport, as a spokesman for Deutsche Bahn confirmed. The platform does not show how full an individual is. For this, customers could find out about the loading of a train in the app and on the website. The information is therefore calculated from historical values and received bookings.
Passenger representative praises offer
The honorary chairman of the Pro Bahn passenger association, Karl-Peter Naumann, said the advertisements in Hamburg and Berlin worked quite well. They are particularly useful in local transport because there are no reservations. Such ads are also useful for passengers of regional trains. “The problem is lower in long -distance transport because many travelers have a space reservation.”
dpa
Source: Stern
