The subject of artificial intelligence (AI) is a complex one, but on its stand at VivaTech Thales will be asking a simple question: can you beat the machine?
Put on your virtual reality headset, sit in the cab of our virtual subway train, and see if you can drive it and its passenger safely and efficiently to their destination. You’ll be doing all the things a subway driver normally does: stopping at stations, letting passengers on and off the train, observing the speed limits and keeping a careful lookout for obstacles on the track. The twist is that you’ll be doing all of that in competition with an AI-controlled train. You might fancy your chances, but will you be smart enough, fast enough and disciplined enough to beat the AI system? Come and visit the Thals stand to find out!
This all sounds like just a fun video game, but this entertaining and interactive demo illustrates a very serious point: the sensors, processors, algorithms and deep learning of AI systems enable trains to geo-locate themselves, detect dangerous obstacles and travel at the optimal speed for each section of track. Thales’s expertise and experience not only in the field of transportation, but also in sensors, IoT connectivity and cybersecurity, means that it is in a unique position to address all of these questions and to develop systems that are able to make the right decision at the right time, making trains autonomous, and – most importantly – delivering passengers safe and sound to their final destination.