Rail transportation is a crucial part of public transportation, encompassing different fields such as vehicles, signaling, communication, power supply, and civil engineering, all of which harbor significant business opportunities. According to statistics from the Ministry of Transportation, the railway market is expected to reach NT$1.97 trillion by 2030, creating over 30,000 jobs annually! Thus, the Taiwan Railway Bureau has joined forces with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to host the "Railway Industry Technology Development Forum" to enhance the scale of the industry.

Every year, the Taiwan High-Speed Rail transports over 70 million passengers, and the overall ridership of the metro systems across Taiwan is also substantial. With the government vigorously promoting the localization of railway transport, the Railway Bureau's forum sought to bring together over 100 experts from industry, government, and academia to explore new business opportunities in railway localization. Yang Cheng-jun, the Director-General of the Railway Bureau, stated: “We have introduced a 6+3 action plan, focusing on the enhancement of key technologies, and have established a Rail Technology Research and Validation Center. Particularly in the past couple of years, the Railway Bureau has emphasized the development of maintenance components and intelligent railway systems.” ITRI's Vice President Hu Zhusheng emphasized, “Cross-disciplinary integration is essential, and ITRI can assist in integrating the strengths of industry, government, academia, and research to serve the nation’s railway construction.”

According to the Ministry of Transportation, Taiwan’s railway industry market opportunity will reach NT$1.97 trillion by 2030, creating over 30,000 jobs annually. This industry not only includes actual equipment but also subsequent operation and maintenance opportunities. For instance, ITRI has developed an intrusion detection system using AI image analysis to swiftly identify potential obstructions on the railway, ensuring train operation safety. He further stated, “Once technology is applied and becomes a product, we hope that our manufacturers can leverage these products and services for railway construction while simultaneously enhancing their capabilities to compete in international markets in the future.” In reality, the Railway Bureau has been promoting R&D subsidies since 2021, applying the results to domestic construction. Currently, parts like the switch train doors and pantographs have already been included in the localization projects for the Xizhong MRT line. Starting this year, a budget of NT$4.5 billion will be allocated over five years to assist in digital transformation and build the industry supply chain, while ITRI has also outlined a technological strategy blueprint for 2035 to strengthen the self-reliance capabilities of the railway industry.