IISc-incubated L2MRail’s lab to develop AI-led solutions for rail safety

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-incubated startup L2MRail inaugurated a dedicated artificial intelligence (AI) Lab for Railway Safety at the Research Centre (i-Hub) at its Bengaluru campus. The facility will be used to design AI-led deep-tech systems as well as create rail-specific base AI models to bring accidents down to zero by 2030.

As per the latest data shared by the Railway Ministry in the parliament, train accidents in 2023-24 stood at 40, down 70% from 135 in 2014-15. The startup supported by IISc’s Foundation for Science Innovation and Development (FSID) aims to further bring this number down and become a global leader in AI-driven railway safety and predictive maintenance.

Some of the innovations at the lab include the Automatic Train Examination by AI system, a vision-based examination technology that has already been rolled out across the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited's (DFCCIL) operations, the startup said. DFCCIL functions under the railway ministry.


L2MRail’s system recently also picked up a critical fault with two missing springs in a train that was moving at 74.16 kmph. “Due to a real-time alert from the system, DFCCIL personnel halted the train and repaired it on-site,” the startup said in a statement.

L2MRail said its technology already has a track record of averting at least one accident each week and is in advanced negotiations for implementation in five international rail networks in the next few months.

Praveen Kumar, Managing Director, DFCCIL, said, "Indian Railways is proud to support AI initiatives that will make our railway network among the safest in the world. This lab marks a major leap towards technology-driven safety solutions."

Director of FSID, Professor Balan Gurumoorthy, said, “The collaboration between startups, academia, and public sector partners like DFCCIL is a powerful example of how deep science can translate into life-saving impact at scale.”