Hitachi Rail & NVIDIA: AI Boosts Railway Ops & Predictive Maint

Hitachi Rail integrates NVIDIA IGX Thor into its HMAX platform, bringing real-time AI to **trains** and infrastructure, optimizing **railway** operations and predictive maintenance.

Hitachi Rail & NVIDIA: AI Boosts Railway Ops & Predictive Maint
October 30, 2025 7:54 am

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Introduction

Hitachi Rail has integrated NVIDIA’s IGX Thor platform into its HMAX digital asset management suite, bringing real-time AI processing to trains and infrastructure. This integration makes Hitachi Rail the first transportation company to adopt the technology globally, enhancing operational efficiency, reliability, and predictive maintenance capabilities.

Real-Time AI Processing

Hitachi Rail has integrated NVIDIA’s IGX Thor into its HMAX platform. This allows for real-time edge AI processing for mission-critical applications directly on trains and infrastructure. The platform enables the processing of large volumes of operational data at the edge, eliminating the need for data processing at maintenance locations, which previously took days.

Platform Capabilities

The NVIDIA IGX Thor platform offers enhanced AI compute capabilities and connectivity compared to previous solutions. It provides real-time sensor processing, AI reasoning, functional safety, and long-term enterprise support. This allows Hitachi Rail to ensure that only relevant data is sent back to operational control centers, thus speeding up the sharing of actionable insights with operators.

Benefits and Strategic Alignment

By using AI algorithms at the edge, HMAX improves railway optimization, predictive maintenance, reliability, and efficiency for both passengers and operators. Giuseppe Marino, Group CEO of Hitachi Rail, noted that adopting NVIDIA IGX Thor allows operators to better optimize their railways and infrastructure. This aligns with Hitachi’s broader program to deploy AI and data technologies across the transport ecosystem.

Operational Initiatives

In September 2025, Hitachi Rail opened its digital factory to deliver the next generation of metro trains for North America, utilizing AI for operational excellence. The collaboration with NVIDIA complements Hitachi Group’s strategy to leverage AI and infrastructure knowledge through its Lumada 3.0 solutions. Hitachi Rail aims to address international challenges and expand HMAX deployment across multiple industries and sectors.

Last June 2025, we published an article about Renfe’s cutting-edge Aranjuez maintenance hub. Click here to read – Future of Rail: Renfe’s Railway Technology Hub, Aranjuez: Essential Guide

Conclusion

Hitachi Rail’s integration of NVIDIA IGX Thor into its HMAX platform marks a significant advancement in real-time AI processing within the transportation sector, enhancing operational capabilities and predictive maintenance.

Company Summary

Hitachi Rail: Hitachi Rail is a transportation company focused on integrating AI and data technologies to improve railway operations and infrastructure.

NVIDIA: NVIDIA is a technology company specializing in AI computing platforms.

Technology

NVIDIA IGX Thor: A platform that delivers real-time sensor processing, AI reasoning, and functional safety.

HMAX: Hitachi Rail’s AI-led digital asset management suite.

Lumada 3.0: Hitachi Group’s solutions for harnessing AI and infrastructure knowledge.

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