KTH Royal Institute of technology

School of Architecture and Built Environment

Department of Transport Science
Course: AH2029 Railway Signalling System

The Future of Implementing Artificial Intelligence in the Railway Industry

(source: https://guidehouseinsights.com/news-and-views/how-ai-will-impact-the-rail-industry)

Iqbal Fachrurrazie Surahman

2021
 Literature Review
Iqbal Fachrurrazie Surahman

Table of Contents
1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Artificial Intelligence ...................................................................................................................... 2
Branches of AI and Its Implementation................................................................................... 2
2.1.1 Natural Language Processing & Speech ......................................................................... 3
2.1.2 Machine Learning and Planning ...................................................................................... 3
2.1.3 Robotics and Computer Vision ....................................................................................... 4
2.1.4 Expert Systems ................................................................................................................ 4
The Potential Challenge of AI ................................................................................................. 4
2.2.1 Artificial is not Human .................................................................................................... 4
2.2.2 Limitation ........................................................................................................................ 5
3. Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 5
References ............................................................................................................................................... 6

Figure List
Figure 1. AI Branches (Yousef Kimiagar, APTA Rail Conference 2019) .............................................. 3
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1. Introduction
The railway is projected to be one of the key players in achieving the EU’s Zero Emission Target by
2050 [1]. Air transport is proven to be the highest emitting mode of transport, so the government wants
to minimize it and switch the passenger to trains. This will result in a significant increase in the demand
for train trips.

On the other hand, the railway infrastructure is limited and requires a lot of resources to expand. The
expansion will take time and cost a fortune for the government. However, expansion is not enough, the
railway industry also needs to optimize and improve its service accordingly.

The optimization and improvement rely on technological development. These days, technology
development grows exponentially. The latest technological leap that affects every business is the
implementation of Artificial Intelligence.

A survey from Economic Intelligent Unit (2016) found that 44% of executives said delaying AI
implementation will make their business vulnerable to new, disruptive start-ups. The railway industry
also needs this technological tool to provide innovative solutions that can speed up the industry's
growth.

This essay aims to elaborate on the implementation of AI and the possible challenge in the future.

2. Artificial Intelligence

Branches of AI and Its Implementation

Technically, artificial intelligence is defined as an area of study in computer science that is
concerned with the development of computers able to engage in human-like thought processes
such as learning, reasoning, adapting, and self-correction [2]. This definition has changed time
over time since the development and implementation of AI itself increases exponentially. Thus,
the AI as a system can be judged as:

• A system that thinks like a human

• A system that acts like a human
• A system that thinks rationally
• A system that acts rationally

Artificial Intelligence has unlimited potential in improving almost, if not all, all aspects of the
railway industry. In general, AI can be divided into more focused branches as seen in Figure 1
and the implementation of each branch would be explained more in this essay.

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Figure 1. AI Branches (Yousef Kimiagar, APTA Rail Conference 2019)

2.1.1 Natural Language Processing & Speech

This branch of AI enables a computerized approach in analyzing and representing
naturally occurring texts and achieving human-like language processing for a range of
tasks or applications [3]. In a simple word, this method allows a computer to process a
language and utilize it to process and perform a task, for example, a computer can read or
write and generate data from social media.

Since it can mimic human interaction through language, this technology gives a huge
impact on customer-related issues. On a business-to-customer level, customer handling
has a very important role in ensuring satisfaction for the passengers. In one day, a public
transport operator can get thousands of inquiries relating to their operation from the
passengers. In this case, AI can take over in handling all inquiries by giving relevant
information in a matter of seconds.

2.1.2 Machine Learning and Planning

Machine learning is a subset of AI which builds a mathematical model based on sample
data to make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed to perform the
task [4]. Prediction is the keyword that enables a more efficient railway network or public
transport operation.

For instance, a public transport operator can define several parameters that return the fleet
demand at a given time. Thus, by “training” this model with sufficient data and relevant
parameters, the model can predict the demand at any time concerning the parameters
stated. This creates the opportunity in shifting from a traditionally fixed fleet schedule to
an on-demand service. Theoretically, it will help the operator to always match the demand
and the supply.

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2.1.3 Robotics and Computer Vision

Humans get 80% of information about their world only through their eyes compared to
any other sensory [5]. This gives the spatial recognition and consciousness for a human
to function even for a very simple task such as fetching something in front of them. In
contrast, without vision sensory, the early development of robotic had such a limitation
that the robots were less adaptive and less flexible. They could only work according to
the specific task of movement to function. So, they had no possibility of being reactive to
their environment.

However, the development of AI has been a quantum leap in technology. Computer vision
gives a sensory ability similar to human eyes through cameras. In the railway industry,
this technology can be invested in improving the maintenance process and the security in
operation.

For the maintenance aspect, a robot fleet can do repetitive tasks such as train inspection,
train cleaning, turnouts monitoring, and many more tasks that are labor-exhausting. It will
give many benefits because the machinery can work without a time limit and during an
irregular time when the operation is not running.

Moreover, in the security aspect, the camera supervision can detect a potentially
suspicious individual and raise an early alarm to the security personnel.

2.1.4 Expert Systems

An expert system is a computer system that emulates the decision-making ability of a
human expert [6]. Expert systems are designed to solve complex problems by reasoning
through bodies of knowledge, represented mainly as if-then rules rather than through
conventional procedural code.

Although public opinion differs on if our jobs will be replaced by artificial intelligence or
not, expert systems are the artificial intelligence that will come for analytical, white-collar
jobs. Expert systems are proficient in reasoning, classification, configuration, pattern
matching, diagnosis, and planning, certain industries are set up for disruption.

As stated above, this technology can work even when disruption in the system happens.
In the railway operation, any disruption can happen anywhere at any time. So, in the
future, there is a possibility of implementing this technology as supervision for the whole
network to help to make a quick decision when a failure occurs.

The Potential Challenge of AI

2.2.1 Artificial is not Human

Railway operator needs to deal with their customer, that is humans, in the most humanist
possible way. At the operational level, AI can take over the customer service process, but
it cannot replace the natural interaction between two humans. Furthermore, when it comes

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to safety, the customers are still hesitating to fully rely on the machine without human
intervention.

2.2.2 Limitation
The AI technology is trained using the available data set, this comes with the limitation
of it can be smarter than the dataset itself. However, throughout the development of the
deep learning model, multiple unnoticed biases can be introduced to the learning
mechanism. It might happen due to incorrect examples, incorrectly labeled data, or
inherently biased datasets. Once it carries these training datasets, it will always carry the
bias. In the long run, this bias might end up in an undesired behavior of the system. This
will bring such a negative impact on the business.

Furthermore, when the system is developed to train itself, it is vulnerable to taking the
wrong dataset since it does not know the context. There will be a situation where the
system makes an important or unexpected decision and it will require an explanation for
the stakeholders. But in some cases, the explainability is somehow very low due to the AI
technology often consists of highly complex black boxes. When the explanation cannot
be provided, the trust from stakeholders will plummet.

3. Conclusion
Artificial Intelligence is indeed a necessity in taking the railway industry to the next level. It gives
solutions to many existing problems due to the limitation of available rolling stocks, infrastructure,
human resources, and lack of information. It will significantly speed up the operational process that
needs humans from many departments and different task forces to work for months. Considering the
nowadays development of AI, it opens an endless potential in improving the railway industry.

However, at the end of the day, AI still has an enormous issue of its legality and ethicality. The absence
of a human in the decision-making process raises a question mark in its accountability. It will introduce
a new paradigm in deciding who is accounted for any problem in the future that could appear and give
an impact on the business both positively or negatively. In conclusion, there will be an obvious process
of trial and error with AI implementation, but it will speed up the growth of the railway industry at a
rate that has never been seen before.

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References
[1] R. Enei, “EU Transport GHG: Routes to 2050?,”
http://www.eutransportghg2050.eu/cms/assets/ISIS-Freight-trends-and-forecasts.pdf, no. June,
p. 28, 2010.
[2] J. N. Kok, E. J. W. Boers, W. A. Kosters, P. Van Der Putten, and M. Poel, “Knowledge for
sustainable development: an insight into the Encyclopedia of life support systems::::::Artificial
Intelligence: Definition, Trends, Techniques and Cases,” Encycl. Life Support Syst., pp. 1096–
1097, 2010, [Online]. Available: https://www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C15/E6-44.pdf.
[3] B. J. Grosz, “Natural language processing,” Artif. Intell., vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 131–136, 1982, doi:
10.1016/0004-3702(82)90032-7.
[4] X.-D. Zhang, Chapter 6 Machine Learning, vol. 45, no. 13. 2017.
[5] D. P. Johnston and P. Johnston, “the World of the Senses,” Wittgenstein Rethink. Inn., pp. 42–
73, 2020, doi: 10.4324/9780203031353-8.
[6] R. M. O’Keefe, O. Balci, and E. P. Smith, “Validating Expert System Performance.,” IEEE
Expert, vol. 2, no. 4. pp. 81–90, 1988, doi: 10.1109/MEX.1987.5006538.