Public Transportation Needs Resilient Systems

February 13, 2015 - FORCES researcher Saurabh Amin weighed in on NPR in a story about outdated transportation systems in Boston that have been crippled by the region's record-breaking snowfall. Dr. Amin pointed out the vulnerability of public transportation systems, such as Boston's subway, that rely on antiquated electrical motors which are known to fail during extreme weather conditions.

The problem is related to the focus on resilient cyber-physical systems endorsed by researchers in the FORCES project, as it highlights the interdependency of transit systems and the need not only for better equipment but also for the need to develop contingency plans for emergency situations.