In a bizarre bit of news, India has sought out technology firm Apple, to help them speed up their trains especially between Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata. Union minister Suresh Prabhu says that the Indian Government is looking to multiple tech companies to help them bring India’s trains to the next level according to Business Times India.
India currently has one of the largest and most complex rail networks in Asia and by collaborating with tech companies, India hopes to make their trains hit speeds of up to 600kmh. While it is normal to look towards tech firms for help, what is surprising is that Apple has been named in the report.
It is no secret that Apple has been trying to get into India by attempting to open Apple Stores there but so far has been held back by local regulations. In order to get chummy with local authorities, Apple has set up a development centre in Hyderabad back in 2016 which aims to employ up to 4,000 employees. The centre is working on Apple Maps development in collaboration with RSMI Pvt Ltd which provides geospatial and software services. On top of that, Apple is also manufacturing the iPhone SE in India.
Still, people are shaking their heads trying to figure out what exactly is Apple’s role in helping India raise the speeds of trains. Apple has been known to be working on self-driving and autonomous technology for cars and perhaps that bit of technology may be included in for the trains as part of its safety features to ensure that trains travelling at that speed know what to expect (especially if obstacles falls on the track). Alternatively, help from Apple may come in the form of navigation or software services but only time can tell.
