AI-based bus inquiry service trials in Taipei, New Taipei

Taipei, Aug. 11 (CNA) A new AI-powered bus information service for Taipei and New Taipei debuted Monday, allowing users to receive answers to bus-related queries by voicing questions in English or Chinese to a machine.

The "Taipei-New Taipei AI Bus Stationmaster Ah-Ming" interface will run at Taipei Main Station, Taipei City Hall Bus Station, Banqiao Bus Station and Tamsui MRT Station from Monday to Sunday.

At the launch event at Taipei City Hall Bus Station, Taipei City Government Department of Transportation Commissioner Hsieh Ming-hong (謝銘鴻) and New Taipei City Transportation Department Commissioner Chung Ming-shih (鍾鳴時) demonstrated how passengers can ask for directions by voice and receive details on transport options and arrival times.

During the public demonstration, an international visitor tested the system by asking in English how to get to Yangmingshan, a mountain in northern Taiwan.

The system responded by asking which specific location in Yangmingshan the traveler wanted and displayed several options on the screen.

After the tourist selected Yangmingshan National Park, it showed which bus to board and where, as well as the estimated arrival time.

Lee Cho-lun (李卓倫), deputy general manager of AsiaTEK Inc., which developed the system, said the company surveyed 3,000 bus drivers about the questions they are most often asked and used the results to build a database.

The "Taipei-New Taipei AI Bus Stationmaster Ah-Ming" platform is still in the training stage, with daily pop-ups from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. through Sunday, Lee added.