Taipei, Nvidia to partner on smart city, AI-driven MRT upgrades

Taipei, June 1 (CNA) Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said Monday that the city is working with Nvidia Corp. on several "smart city" projects, including modernizing the Taipei Metro's Wenhu Line (Brown Line), which entered commercial service in 1996.

Speaking with reporters before a keynote speech by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) at the Taipei Music Center, Chiang said that AI-powered simulation and analysis will be conducted across all 24 stations on the line between Wenshan and Neihu districts beginning next year.

Several major transfer stations -- including Daan, Zhongxiao Fuxing, Nanjing Fuxing and Zhongshan Junior High School stations -- will also employ Nvidia Omniverse technology to create advanced 3D digital models for crowd-flow simulation and operational planning, according to Chiang.

Upgrades will be made by 2036 and will include improvements to rolling stock and signaling systems, Chiang said, adding that the city also plans to utilize Nvidia's technologies to conduct passenger-flow simulations, focusing on platform evacuation during peak hours, the impact of service disruptions, and ridership-capacity management.

"We will continue leveraging AI across different sectors to build Taipei into an AI-driven smart city," Chiang said, noting that the city has established AI operational guidelines and introduced competitive budgeting programs that encourage AI adoption in municipal governance.

Chiang said that Taipei plans to apply AI more broadly to enhance public services and administrative efficiency, without providing further details.

When asked whether cooperation with Nvidia would extend beyond the metro system, Chiang said the partnership would initially focus on Taipei Metro before expanding into other areas of city governance.

He added that city officials are scheduled to meet with Nvidia's technical team later this week to discuss future collaborations.

Huang, who is in Taipei for the launch of Nvidia's Taiwan headquarters, said construction of the facility at the Beitou Shilin Technology Park is scheduled to begin at the end of 2026, with completion expected in 2030.