San Francisco is paying millions to end reliance on this iconic, but ancient technology — floppy disks still powering the Muni Metro light rail system on DOS software
The current system transfers data slower than a dial-up modem
· TechRadarNews By Wayne Williams published 31 October 2024
Smartphones can perform a million tasks, self-driving cars are just around the corner, and AI is everywhere… yet floppy disks - those relics of the 1980s - are still clinging to relevance in some places.
The Japanese government finally waved goodbye to floppy disks in administrative procedures earlier in 2024, and the German navy also decided it was time to cut ties with the ancient storage technology.
Now, in an equally overdue move, San Francisco transportation officials are bidding farewell to the floppy disk-driven control system of the Muni Metro, a move that isn't going to be cheap.
Five generations ahead
The city's Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) board has approved a $212 million contract with Hitachi Rail to upgrade the Muni Metro's train control system.
The existing system, installed in 1998 in the Market Street subway, still runs on software stored on five-and-a-quarter inch floppy disks, which must be loaded every morning. Additionally, it uses an antiquated wire loop communication system that is prone to disruptions.
According to Muni officials, the current system was expected to last 20 to 25 years and moves data slower than a dial-up modem. Some parts of the control system are no longer even made, and it cannot be extended outside the subway, along the on-street Metro corridors.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports the upgrade, for which Hitachi will provide 20 years of support, is part of a broader $700 million project to modernize the Muni Metro’s control system. By late 2027 and into 2028, the new communications-based system, which uses Wi-Fi and cell signals to track train locations with precision, will be in place.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors