Transportation enables the movement of goods and people, facilitates trade and commerce, and is crucial for businesses to operate and expand. Security technology plays a major role both in protecting today's various transportation systems and increasingly to make them more efficient. We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: What’s new in technology serving the transportation market?
Recent advancements in transportation technology are significantly enhancing traffic management. Key innovations include intersection control, video analytics in Traffic Management Centres, edge analytics built right into traffic cameras, and real-time data dissemination, all of which help authorities manage traffic more efficiently. Organisations are now able to conduct real-time research, analysing vehicle interactions, following distances, and lane changes, providing insights into traffic congestion patterns and vehicle behaviour. These findings help optimise vehicle and infrastructure designs, improving safety, air quality, and fuel efficiency. With the increasing complexity of traffic in both urban and rural areas, these technological advancements are crucial for effectively managing traffic during holiday travel weekends and during everyday congestion. Data is king, especially in the traffic management sector, and with edge analytics in cameras, improved efficiency is on the horizon.
With travel rates increasing, the number of passengers, baggage, and cargo creates a complex environment for security teams to monitor. Additionally, with our smartphones and social media, word travels faster than ever before. The transportation market is looking for the best ways to keep everyone safe without causing worry and panic among passengers. Being able to monitor, screen, and identify threats before they escalate into a full-blown incident that interrupts security operations is the key. The goal is to create a safe environment for passengers and staff without resorting to invasive methods that impact the customer experience.
Travellers continue to seek one thing: a seamless travel experience, and with that, demand quick and efficient methods to reach their destination. To meet these new demands, travel organisations are utilising biometric technology to streamline the processes – reducing the time it takes to check in and simplifying the overall travel experience. We’re already seeing this technology implemented globally with airports adopting biometric “E-Gates” and programs that provide passport verification before arrival, which allow traditionally manual checks to be made digitally and automatically. These biometric-enabled solutions mean customers can enjoy reduced waiting times and enhanced security for personal information, while transportation services can deliver a more seamless travel experience by securely and accurately storing passenger information. As we look to the future, bringing key stakeholders to the table is a critical industry challenge. While these developments are an important step, I look forward to seeing continued improvements in the travel experience.
The transportation segment is traditionally a very heavy user of cameras and video analytics and is increasingly using these security technologies for operational uses as well. For example, video analytics can be used to count the number of passengers exiting individual train cars, detect the direction of people, or inspect the interior condition of train cars or buses for potential hazards or anomalies. For these types of uses, artificial intelligence (AI) will prove to be a great benefit in making these searches faster and more accurate. Cloud will also be a boon to transit systems, which typically have large, distributed video systems that rely heavily on connectivity due to the mobile nature of many of the cameras.
Modern unified security solutions streamline transit operations by integrating data from buses, stations, and other sources into a single interface. This centralised approach replaces multiple disparate systems, enabling more efficient monitoring of the entire transit network. As part of this unified approach, more transit teams are leveraging automatic licence plate recognition (ALPR). The technology enhances safety by capturing and analysing licence plate data from on-board cameras to help enforce bus lane rules and support mobile tolling. Through a unified platform, data collected from transit systems can be easily shared with law enforcement and community partners. Transit teams may set up automated standard operating procedures (SOPs) to alert authorities to critical incidents. Post-incident, cloud-based digital evidence management systems (DEMs) simplify the collection and sharing of evidence with stakeholders. These innovations enhance safety, streamline operations, and improve the overall experience for riders and transit teams.
The transportation market is leveraging AV-over-IP to streamline communications and improve data transmission. This technology allows for the flexible routeing of audio-visual (AV) signals over standard Internet protocol (IP) networks, reducing the need for extensive cabling and hefty infrastructure. AV-over-IP solutions also allow for greater interoperability and scalability, making it easier to integrate with existing systems and expand as needed. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for large transportation networks that require seamless communication across multiple locations.
From a video surveillance perspective, AI-enabled cameras have allowed the transportation market to benefit from advanced AI analytics to enhance situational awareness. By providing real-time, proactive threat detection and response, security teams are further enhancing passenger safety. Processing analytics locally at the edge (in-camera) requires less costly infrastructure due to reduced bandwidth demands. It also minimises latency, resulting in faster security responses. The latest AI onsite-learning analytics allows transportation operations to train cameras to recognise unique objects, such as specific logoed buses, trains, and aeroplanes, to gather additional operational intelligence for timely and informed decision-making. The increased adoption of 4K and higher resolutions has bolstered incident analysis and forensic investigations by enabling operators to zoom in on persons of interest without significant pixelation. Finally, improvements in facial detection technology have enhanced accuracy when identifying persons of interest and streamlining access control in transportation hubs.
The transportation sector – like many industries – is undergoing a paradigm shift, propelled by groundbreaking technologies that once only fortified security but are now delivering cross-organisational impact to operations, compliance, and more. For instance, AI-driven video analytics has long enabled post-event search and investigation. A child goes missing? Law enforcement needs to understand the movement of a person of interest? Video analytics accelerates investigations when time is of the essence. Now, video analytics has evolved and become more comprehensive to also enable proactive and preventative measures. For instance, airports suffer high fines when people linger in restricted areas. By setting customised rules that alert operators when a person crosses a pre-determined line, airports can achieve greater compliance – and significant savings. Proactive alerts can also be implemented for instances of baggage-left-behind, notifying operators when luggage has remained static past a specified threshold. Video analytics can also perform pattern analysis to provide trend insight into passenger and cargo movements or queue formation at check-in kiosks. The resulting business intelligence drives strategic decisions for the betterment of the entire organisation.
The digitisation of operations within the transportation market is increasing the need for robust cybersecurity and resilient supply chains. Technologies like authenticated mobile credentials are vital in ensuring security in this highly mobile industry. These credentials adopt a cybersecurity mindset, employing Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) for certificate-based authentication, which is virtually impossible to clone. Issuing secure mobile credentials to drivers before arrival enhances security and operational efficiency. Additionally, integrating these credentials with long-range readers and access control systems, intercoms, and video feeds provides a comprehensive view of drivers entering facilities. This holistic approach not only improves security but also streamlines processes, making transportation operations more efficient and secure. These innovations are crucial in addressing the dynamic challenges faced by the transportation sector today and can go a long way toward solving problems that have traditionally plagued the industry.
AI-powered video surveillance has revolutionised the logistics sector's approach to physical security, safety and operations. AI-powered systems can monitor and control access to logistics sites more effectively than traditional methods. Facial recognition technology, for example, allows for streamlined and secure entry for authorised personnel. In addition, AI systems can quickly detect incidents such as equipment damage, unauthorised access, or perimeter breaches enabling rapid response and mitigation, minimising potential losses or disruptions. By analysing video footage and data, AI systems can provide valuable insights into operational efficiencies and potential areas for improvement. This data-driven approach allows logistics companies to optimise processes and reduce costs. By automating tasks that would otherwise require manual effort, companies can operate more efficiently and achieve quicker returns on their investment. Overall, AI-powered video surveillance represents a transformative advancement in the logistics sector, enhancing security, safety, and operational efficiency. Embracing these technologies improves day-to-day operations and positions logistics companies to adapt and thrive.