Those commuting by rail were once restricted to barely audible public address system announcements informing them of their train’s next stop. A combination of poor audio quality and packed carriages with noisy commuters meant one had to keep a keen eye on the windows to visually identify approaching stations. Rail commuter communication was revolutionized by making those messages visible on scrolling LED-based signs. While an improvement of many magnitudes, the message communicated usually remained restricted to the next station.

Today, companies like iBase enable rolling stock operators to inform their commuters like never before with EN50155-certified, high-definition color displays powered by low-power and reliable x86 processors. Now commuters can visualize their entire journey, knowing instantly how many stops of their journey remain. The ARD-028-N is their latest offering, sporting a 28” 1920 x 360 display.

Its EN50155/T1 compliance ensures it meets international standards covering shock and vibration requirements on electronic equipment for use in railway applications, enabling rolling stock operators to install without worry of regulatory conformance.

Let’s not forget public transport is a business and while customer satisfaction is naturally critical, the business case for funding the implementation of these is the additional revenue streams accessible through selling high-quality video advertising space alongside commuter information.

The technology us equally suitable for buses, a travel method perceived by some to be old hat but seeing a resurgence itself with the integration of smart technologies. Tomorrow’s bus commuter will not only see his journey in exactly the same way as the rail commuter, but can accurately predict their remaining journey time by employing local traffic data.

The most exciting feature of applying connected technology to mature transport methods for me is the alarm (via smart phone or wearable) that alerts me it’s my stop if I happen to doze off – which is quite likely!

iBase will be exhibiting at electronica 2016 in Munich November 8-11th.