Hitachi Rail Transforms Rail Maintenance with Cutting-Edge Real-Time Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance Technology Powered by UK-Led Research and Development

Hitachi Rail has successfully commercialized a groundbreaking technology designed to enable real-time infrastructure monitoring and predictive maintenance, following extensive UK-led research and development.

A major milestone in this achievement comes from the collaboration between Hitachi Rail and Connected Places Catapult, the UK's leading innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and urban development. Together, they have launched a new rail maintenance solution that promises to revolutionize the way rail networks are maintained.

The journey towards this milestone began in 2021 when Connected Places Catapult facilitated a partnership between Hitachi Rail, LNER, and Network Rail. The collaboration focused on using cameras mounted on trains to continuously monitor overhead lines. The application of machine learning technology helped automatically detect potential faults, accurately pinpointing when and where maintenance was needed.

Building on the insights gained during the trial, Hitachi has refined the system, which is now part of its HMAX platform. This platform integrates operational data from across railway assets and infrastructure into a unified system, enhancing the management and efficiency of railway systems. Beyond live-time monitoring, HMAX also features virtual simulations of physical environments, which accelerates the development of railway systems.

Hitachi and Connected Places Catapult continue their partnership, with Hitachi becoming a strategic partner for the upcoming Connected Places Summit. At the summit, senior Hitachi leaders, including EMEA president Andrew Barr, will lead a session addressing the challenges and solutions of energy decarbonization in the transport sector.