JR East to Monitor Yamanote Line Pantographs with AI

Tokyo, March 11 (Jiji Press)–East Japan Railway Co. has said it will launch a trial in April of a system that uses artificial intelligence to monitor pantographs on trains running on its busy Yamanote Line in Tokyo to detect defects in train cars at an early stage. The railway operator, known as JR East, also plans to use drones to inspect overhead wires and other infrastructure, aiming to reduce the time required to resume operations by 30 pct when transport service disruptions occur due to equipment problems. Cameras to monitor pantographs will be installed near Shinbashi, Ebisu, Mejiro and Uguisudani stations in the capital, the company said Tuesday. The AI system will analyze the images in real time, and if damage is detected, it will notify the control room or other relevant sections. Drones will be dispatched later to inspect overhead wires and other equipment, facilitating faster restoration work. By replacing the work traditionally done by people with AI and drones, the system is expected to shorten the time needed to identify damaged vehicles and inspect facilities. It is the first time for JR East to use AI to detect such damage, and the company is considering introducing it to the Tokyo-Shinjuku section on its Chuo Line and to Shinkansen bullet train services in the future. In May last year, many pantographs on the Yamanote Line were damaged due to broken overhead wires, affecting about 250,000 people. This year, JR East faced a series of large-scale transportation disruptions due to power outages on its Yamanote, Joban and Utsunomiya lines, making it an urgent task for the company to prevent a recurrence. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]