Skai TV today hosted Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis, who spoke about the new system for enhancing railway safety. Specifically, it is an Artificial Intelligence system that will monitor in real time the communications between station masters and drivers.
The minister noted that the new system uses AI to instantly convert into text the dialogues that take place through GSMR, the railway’s intercom system.
“We introduced something new on Saturday. Which I think is also a very serious safeguard and changes the laxity mentality that used to exist on the railway,” he pointed out.
According to Kyranakis, the AI will be able to identify whether conversations are following the strict protocols laid down for traffic regulation or if irrelevant conversations are being recorded. “The AI understands if this text is the strict protocols that both sides have to have for traffic regulation and they are not talking about irrelevant things, like dialogues of shame that we heard after Tempe,”
The minister said the system will allow the control centre to intervene immediately when a deviation from the prescribed communication protocols is detected.
“So the system understands if the control centre needs to intervene to put things in order. It is an extra safeguard which was not there and which is emitted in real time and not declarative, i.e. not for investigation following an accident,”
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He also sent a message for a change of mindset in the way the railways are run, stressing that those involved in traffic regulation are managing human lives.
“Our message is that things are changing here. And protocols must be strict, those who regulate traffic on trains must understand that they are managing human lives. So there will be military-style communications,” he said.
