Google’s Area 120 incubator aims to improve your NYC subway commute with Pigeon

"Over the past few years, however, MTA New York City Transit (NYC Transit) customers using the numbered lines (except 7) and the L have benefitted from the installation of countdown clocks that alert them to which trains are coming and how many minutes away they are. Countdown clocks were first introduced along the L in conjunction with the installation of the Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) moving block signaling system. Second-generation clocks, facilitated by Automatic Train Supervision (ATS), were installed along the 1 through 6 lines.

Countdown clocks take the guesswork out of waiting for a train, offering a reduction in stress levels for harried New Yorkers. The clocks are arguably the most welcome innovation to the New York City subway since the arrival of dependable and effective subway car air conditioning. Instead of leaning over the platform, all they have to do is look up and the arrivals of the next trains are displayed in real-time.

With stations along the numbered lines (A Division) nearly all covered, that unfortunately still left about two-thirds of the system in the dark, so to speak. Given the size of the B Division and the technical complexity of the implementation, customers using the A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J/Z, M, N, Q and R Lines were looking at 2020 before they could begin relaxing those neck muscles.

Then, prompted by New York State Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, innovation combined with the arrival of a new technology to create a solution. That solution involves the use of beacon technology. In description, the system being piloted is relatively simple: Installed on platforms are Bluetooth receivers that communicate with beacons placed on the first and last cars of a subway train. As the train enters a station, the system uses its arrival and departure times to estimate the time at which the train will reach the next stop. That information is them transmitted via Wi-Fi to the LCD screens."