Accurate data is the foundation for an attractive public transit system

Speaking of video surveillance: How do you ensure data protection?

Sascha Renner: This was a key issue for us from the very beginning—not something we added later. We’re not interested in individuals, but in movements. Image analysis takes place directly in the vehicle; the image data never leaves the system. Only anonymous count data is transmitted. Identifying individual passengers is therefore neither intended nor technically possible. It is precisely this design that allows transit companies to implement such a solution in their day-to-day operations at all.

Your project was funded by two innovation grants. How did this funding support tecount?

Sascha Renner: The funding from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs was a key building block for us in further developing our solution. We carried out the project in collaboration with the Deggendorf Institute of Technology at the Parsberg Technology Campus. With the help of the innovation vouchers, we were able to drive the development of our algorithms in a targeted manner and finance key steps in prototype validation and field testing. For SMEs in particular, it is often a challenge to develop innovative technologies to market readiness.

What specific results were you able to achieve as a result?

Sascha Renner: Thanks to this support, we were able to significantly accelerate our development and quickly transition the technology to pilot installations. This provided us with valuable insights from real-world use and allowed us to further improve the performance of our algorithms. It was particularly important for us to demonstrate the reliability and accuracy of passenger counting under real-world operating conditions.

Are there any other areas of application for your technology?

Sascha Renner: Yes, the underlying AI algorithms can also be used in related application areas. Our solutions are already being used in the field of traffic counting. The technology can create added value wherever flows of people or traffic need to be reliably recorded and analyzed.

You mentioned traffic counting. What exactly are you working on in that area?

Sascha Renner: Our focus there is on video-based continuous counting stations. A continuous counting station remains permanently installed and records traffic around the clock, rather than measuring only on specific days, as is the case with a traditional short-term survey. A distinction is made based on vehicle types—that is, cars, trucks, buses, bicycles, etc. This results in continuous daily, weekly, and annual trend lines rather than snapshots, and even rare situations such as holiday traffic or days with inclement weather are reliably captured. In addition, we are developing compact mobile units for temporary surveys. The first permanent systems have already been installed and are delivering data in continuous operation. Among other things, we are counting and classifying traffic on a major bridge in Bavaria.

What is the next phase of development for passenger data?

Sascha Renner: We’re working on deriving origin-destination relationships from the count data—that is, not just recording how many passengers board and alight at a stop, but also the routes they take within the network. This turns individual count values into a picture of actual demand. For network and route planning, this is a significant leap forward: transfer connections, direct routes, and service frequencies can be aligned with actual passenger flows rather than estimated.

What are the next steps for tecount?

Sascha Renner: We want to continuously develop the technology further and integrate additional features. At the same time, we’re working to deploy the solution in additional vehicle fleets and application areas. Our goal is to provide transit agencies with even better data for their decision-making and thereby contribute to efficient, sustainable, and future-proof public transportation.