(Railfanning.org News Wire) — Scottish technology company Machines With Vision is targeting the global $78 billion rail maintenance sector after securing a multi-million, multi-year contract with Network Rail, as imprecise defect location data is estimated to cost the industry $6 billion a year worldwide through repeat visits and wasted crew time.
Beyond the high financial cost, inaccurate defect location can also create a serious safety risk, unnecessarily exposing rail workers to potentially hazardous trackside environments as they search for defects that have been identified but cannot be precisely located.
Machines With Vision has developed innovative technology that uses cameras fitted to the underside of inspection trains to build a highly accurate image-based geospatial map of any railway network, enabling higher levels of safety, efficiency, and automation for railway infrastructure inspection and maintenance.
Machines With Vision maps the track visually and navigates crews directly to faults with millimeter accuracy via the company’s RailLoc system and Fault Navigator mobile app. The contract win follows a successful pilot carried out with Network Rail over a two-year period.
Machines With Vision’s leadership team combines deep railway expertise with extensive experience in technology and high-growth businesses.
CEO and Co-founder Anthony Ashbrook pioneered Mobile Visual Search, now used in apps including Amazon Shopping and Google Lens. CTO Jon Owen played a key role in digitally mapping the UK rail network and developed the sector’s first visual inspection system.
CCO Justin Stroud is the former European MD of Sperry Rail, while Head of Operations Russell Licence spent almost two decades in senior roles at Network Rail. Director Richard Lennox brings extensive scaleup experience from leadership positions at Skyscanner, acquired by Ctrip for $1.7 billion in 2016, and Current Health, acquired by Best Buy for $400 million in 2021.
The news comes as Machines With Vision expands its work with other national railway infrastructure operators across Europe, North America, and Australasia, while also embarking on its latest external investment round to support continued international growth.
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