Live occupancy with AI compared to automatic passenger counting.
Imagine you want to go to a bar and there is a bouncer at the entrance who must decide whether the bar is full or not. The bouncer counts how many people come and go from the bar, but he doesn’t know the actual number of people currently in the bar. This is where the bartender comes in. The bartender “sees” how many people are at the bar. Together, the bouncer and the bartender can give a very accurate overview of the total number of guests.
What is the difference between counting and seeing?
The bar example shows how two factors can interact to achieve an optimal result: The same is true for occupancy detection in public transportation vehicles. Automatic passenger counting (APC) “counts” passengers boarding and alighting from public transport vehicles, while live occupancy with AI “sees” how many passengers are actually in a vehicle and thus determines the actual passenger load. By combining the data from both systems, the total number of passengers on a bus or train can be accurately determined.
Using AI algorithms and existing infrastructure, such as surveillance cameras, this system detects people and determines occupancy in real time. It can be flexibly deployed in different locations in vehicles and can detect the occupancy of specific areas behind the door. The accuracy of occupancy detection is very high.
More here: Live Occupancy with AI
This system counts passengers via door sensors with an accuracy of 99 % according to VDV 457 2.1. The mathematical calculation of occupancy may be incorrect due to deviations, which may lead to inaccurate results. Recalibration is necessary, e.g. by defining a known “empty” state at a terminal stop. The accuracy of passenger counting is very high.
More here: Automatic Passenger Counting
What is the benefit of live occupancy information?
Public transport providers can use the data to optimize services and improve the overall passenger experience. Transport authorities can also use the data to monitor service performance and ensure that operators are meeting their contractual obligations. Finally, passengers can benefit from live occupancy information by making more informed travel decisions and avoiding crowded vehicles.
Live occupancy data can also be used in a number of other ways, including:
- Estimation of the capacity requirements for short-term replacement traffic
- Determination of the transport capacity required for emergency bus services from the last occupancy of aborted train journeys (route closures, vehicle damage)
- Capacity-based passenger routing
- Consideration of occupancy data and capacity utilization data in routing algorithms to direct passengers towards sparsely occupied alternative journeys, routes, or travel chains
- Passenger guidance at the platform to direct passengers to sparsely occupied portions of the train or subsequent trips in the same direction of travel
- Passenger guidance within a vehicle to direct passengers to sparsely occupied areas after boarding
- Management of special situations or emergencies by providing an overview of the occupancy of ongoing traffic and enabling the management of special situations or emergency measures such as evacuation or rescue operations.
