Brightline receives $1.6M grant for AI safety monitoring program
Brightline, in collaboration with its technology partner Wi-Tronix, has been granted $1.6 million by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to implement an artificial intelligence safety monitoring system. The funds will be used to collect real-time data on trespassing activities along the Florida East Coast Railway tracks, spanning from Miami to Orlando.
The data collection will involve the utilization of locomotive front-end cameras to capture images and videos. This information will be instrumental in guiding future decisions pertaining to infrastructure, enforcement, and education within the railway system. The groundbreaking system, once developed, has the potential to be adopted by railroads nationwide.
The $1,648,000 grant was awarded through FRA’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements competitive grant program. FRA Deputy Administrator Jennifer Mitchell expressed her enthusiasm for the initiative, stating that the investment will contribute to improving safety and reducing the likelihood of collisions along the Florida East Coast Railway corridor. Mitchell also highlighted the significant increase in CRISI funding since the signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by President Biden.
Wi-Tronix, LLC, a company specializing in advanced IoT platforms for the rail industry, will play a crucial role in this project. The company already possesses AI-enabled cameras and an onboard platform that generates two million thumbnail images and 135,000 hours of video footage daily. Their expertise and resources will be instrumental in the successful implementation of the AI safety monitoring system.
Michael Lefevre, Brightline’s vice president of operations, expressed gratitude towards the Biden Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), and the FRA for their commitment to rail safety. Lefevre emphasized the potential of this project to drive data-informed decisions and establish cutting-edge technology within the industry. Brightline intends to install upgraded, high-definition forward-facing cameras on each of its 21 locomotives to collect the necessary data for developing and training the AI model.
The collected data will enable Brightline to accurately identify unsafe behaviors along the corridor. This valuable insight will empower the company to implement additional community outreach programs, increase law enforcement presence, and undertake engineering projects to address identified safety concerns.
It is worth noting that recent incidents involving Brightline trains have underscored the urgency of improving safety measures. On September 21, shortly after the expansion of Brightline’s service from West Palm Beach to Orlando, a person crossing the southbound tracks was fatally struck by a train in Delray Beach. The incident was determined to be a suicide. Additionally, on Thursday, a 25-year-old homeless man was killed by a northbound Brightline train while trespassing on the tracks in St. Lucie County.
The implementation of the AI safety monitoring system is expected to mitigate such incidents in the future by providing actionable information in real time. This comprehensive approach to enhancing rail safety aligns with the commitment of both Brightline and Wi-Tronix to prioritize the wellbeing of passengers and communities along the railway.
