You have probably seen people rushing onto a train just as its doors are closing. Although there are regular announcements warning people not to do it, it is a common sight in Japan — but it’s actually pretty dangerous. If someone was trapped in the doors they could be pulled along the platform and seriously hurt.
Train drivers always check to see if any passengers are approaching the doors before closing them, but it can be difficult to do a thorough check if there is only one driver on the train and the platform is crowded.
An illustration of the new AI platform monitoring system
To counter this problem JR East has developed a new platform monitoring system that uses AI and cameras on the sides of the train to detect if somebody is approaching.
A camera on the side of a train
The use of cameras to detect approaching passengers is not new. Since 2012, JR East has been developing a platform monitoring system that uses cameras on the side of the train and then displays images from the cameras in the driver’s cab. This system has been in use since 2020 on several lines including the Tohoku Main Line that runs between Tokyo Station and Morioka Station in Iwate Prefecture.
However, the new system refines the clarity of the images produced by integrating images from cameras at the front and back of a train car. The integrated images can be used to better judge a person’s distance from the train.
A Sagami Line train (E131 series)
Since 2023 this new system has been tested on the Sagami Line that connects the cities of Sagamihara and Chigasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture. AI machine learning has been used to refine the detection system as it is tested at different times and in different weather conditions.
Now the testing stage is complete, and the new system can be introduced to normal train operations. Trains using the new system will be introduced to the Sagami Line in February 2026, and are scheduled to be used on all Sagami Line trains by the end of fiscal 2026.
JR East is also considering expanding this system to other lines that have trains with just one driver and noticeably crowded platforms.
Article by Michael Lambe. Photos courtesy of JR East. All rights reserved.
