If you're on the train/subway/metro/whatever, wouldn't it be great to know exactly where you were in relation to the stops coming up? Rather than knowing you were somewhere between point A and point B, this system would graphically represent where your particular car is on the subway route.
Putting the display on the ceiling is most logical for visibility's sake--and to prevent vandalism.
Implications - Many people have fears about getting lost, especially if they are in a city they are unfamiliar with. The featured idea about putting a map of stops on the subways and street cars is a great idea that many businesses can take inspiration from. Even if the business is a large mall or department store, people still like to know where they're headed.
Ceiling-Mounted Subway Maps
GPS System Pinpoints Location on Subway Car Ceilings
Trend Themes
1. Ceiling-mounted Navigation - The trend of using ceiling-mounted displays to provide location information on trains and subways presents disruptive innovation opportunities in transportation and navigation systems.
2. Enhanced Public Transportation Experience - The trend of displaying subway maps on train car ceilings offers disruptive innovation opportunities in improving the overall public transportation experience and reducing navigation anxiety.
3. Interactive Interior Displays - The trend of utilizing interactive displays on the ceilings of subway cars creates disruptive innovation opportunities for enhancing passenger engagement and providing real-time information.
Industry Implications
1. Transportation - The transportation industry can capitalize on the trend of ceiling-mounted subway maps by incorporating similar navigation systems in buses, trams, and other public transportation modes to enhance passenger experience and reduce travel anxiety.
2. Retail - The retail industry can embrace the trend of ceiling-mounted navigation displays by implementing interactive map systems in large malls and department stores to help customers navigate through the premises more efficiently and improve overall shopping experiences.
3. Tourism - The tourism industry can leverage the trend of displaying map information on the ceilings of transportation vehicles to provide tourists with a more intuitive and hassle-free way of navigating through unfamiliar cities, offering disruptive innovation opportunities to enhance the tourist experience.