New Taipei Metro and NYCU Partner to Advance AI-Driven Smart Rail Operations

(中央社訊息服務20260114 11:30:35)As urban rail systems worldwide accelerate digital transformation, New Taipei Metro Corporation (NTMC) and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) signed a long-term industry–academia cooperation agreement on January 8, aiming to redefine metro operations for the age of artificial intelligence.

Guided by the shared vision that “Computing Power Is Transport Power,” the partnership will focus on three key areas: AI-driven predictive maintenance, dynamic operational decision-support systems, and cross-disciplinary talent cultivation. The collaboration aims to upgrade New Taipei Metro from a traditional transport operator into a data-driven smart mobility enterprise.

New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Chwen-Jing Chen said metro systems should be viewed not only as transportation infrastructure, but as the nervous system of smart cities. By embedding data-driven thinking and AI-assisted decision-making into daily operations, the partnership seeks to deliver safer, more precise, and more resilient services for citizens.

NYCU President Chi-Hung Lin emphasized that universities play a critical role in translating research into real-world solutions, particularly as demographic change and labor shortages place growing pressure on public systems. Leveraging technology to amplify human capacity, he said, is essential to sustainable urban operations.

The collaboration will apply AI technologies to equipment maintenance, train scheduling, passenger flow forecasting, and energy management. It will also explore innovative service models such as fare integration and multimodal transfers.

To address talent shortages, NTMC and NYCU will jointly develop a Metro Systems Academic Program and launch dual-track work-based and research-based internships, creating a clear pathway for cultivating next-generation professionals with combined expertise in technology, management, and data analytics.

Both sides said the partnership builds on exchanges since 2023 and will serve as a long-term platform for smart mobility innovation, positioning New Taipei Metro as a model for AI-enabled urban transportation in Taiwan.