Cubic Transportation Systems has announced the launch of an innovation center at its HQ in Redhill, Surrey, UK, with the mission of determining how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can solve challenges in public transit, alongside academic experts from Imperial College London through Imperial Consultants
The multimillion pound center will build upon Cubic’s legacy of innovation and technical excellence in transit. It will provide public and private sector thought leaders with a seminar space to present the latest research, demonstrate new technology and discuss emerging strategies for addressing transportation’s most critical challenges, including fare evasion, meeting net zero commitments and accessibility.
It will also feature a customer experience area with a ‘tube station of the future’ — including customisable devices and digital walls for immersive demonstrations. While the collaboration and research begin immediately, the immersive center will open in September 2025.
Cubic, along with independent experts from Imperial’s Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (AIDA) Lab, form a world-class think tank to tackle the issue of revenue protection. The team at Imperial, headed by Professor Danilo Mandic, director of the AIDA Lab and Professor of Machine Intelligence, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial, brings experience as one of the world’s leaders in applications of AI to solve real-world problems. Together, Cubic and the team from Imperial will investigate how these proven approaches can be applied to transit.
The center will tackle the topic of fare evasion, which is a highly complex and expensive issue faced by public transit companies across the globe. Transport for London’s most recent annual estimate of fare evasion (2022-23) equates this to around £130 – £150m in unpaid journeys.
The Imperial team will investigate rider behavioural patterns related to fare evasion and how to incentivise payment for using public transit. Cubic will also launch an internship program for students at Imperial to help foster future talent in the industry and drive innovation. Over the coming months, Cubic will announce additional academic, nonprofit and industry partners for the centre.
“This collaboration is an opportunity for us to develop the transportation experts of the future,” says Professor Mandic. “Our students and researchers will be working closely with Cubic to harness the latest innovations in technology to solve transportation’s most significant challenges. We look forward to working together to develop new ideas, technologies and industry leaders.”
“By developing a centre that bridges industries, academic partners and government agencies, our aim is to discover better solutions for our customers and the wider public transit ecosystem, which will contribute to increased ridership and job opportunities,” says Peter Montgomery-Torrellas, senior vice president and president of Cubic Transportation Systems. “Our long-term vision is to replicate this model in key markets around the world, expanding our industry-leading partnerships and ensuring innovation is at the core of everything we do.”
