Saudi Railway Company (SAR) picked China's Huawei as a partner on its smart rail initiatives as part of Saudi Arabia's push for digital transformation and efforts to modernise its transport system. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly work on smart railway projects including the application of a next-generation railway wireless network, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, cloud services and 5G across SAR’s rail network, Huawei said on Wednesday. "This is a major infrastructure project that will have a significant impact on the country, and we are honoured to have been selected as a partner to bring our technology into making this vision a reality," said Dennis Zhang, chief executive of Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia. The collaboration will also include training and knowledge transfer for new railway information and communications technology (ICT) solutions, which will allow SAR to provide a reliable rail service across Saudi Arabia, Huawei said. The Saudi Railway Company (SAR) was established in 2006 to construct, operate and manage a passenger and freight rail network linking the northern region of the kingdom with both the eastern and central regions, providing an integrated transport solution for passengers, minerals, petroleum and petrochemical products. This “North-South Railway”, which started operations in 2011, originates in the capital city of Riyadh and extends as far north as Al Haditha, near the border with neighbouring Jordan.
