No. 1124
Impact of the Internet on Railway
Investigating R&D Committee on the Impact of the Internet on Railway
Keyword : Internet, Information provision, Web2.0, Weblog, XML
The aim of this survey is to investigate the impact of Internet and Internet technologies on railways and to clarify core technologies to be studied in the future as well as to elicit items to be standardized. In chapter 2, we give an overview of the current status of the Internet with particular focus on the increase in the number of the Internet users and the new trend of the usage of the Internet. In chapter 3, we describe the current use of the Internet in such fields as passenger information, ticketing and seat reservation systems. Also included is the emerging usage of the Internet which includes the application to training of employees, information sharing by Weblog among customers and railway operators as well as the use of XML for standardized rail-related data format. In chapter 4, we look back upon the history of the use of IT in railways and discuss the emerging changes in railways which will be brought about by the Internet.

©2007. The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan