Mexico City Metro to Deploy Thermal Cameras for Real-Time Crowd Monitoring

The Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC) Metro will begin installing thermal cameras at at least 20 of its busiest stations in August. The pilot starts at Auditorio station on Line 7 and will expand to key hubs such as Pantitlán, Tasqueña, Cuatro Caminos, Bellas Artes, Hidalgo and Universidad.

Around 800 of the 1,600 planned cameras will be thermal, generating heat‑maps that display station crowding on a colour‑coded “traffic‑light” scale from green (low) to purple (high). The data will be posted in real time on the Metro’s official website and its X account, helping passengers decide whether to enter, wait, or choose alternative routes. Director General Adrián Rubalcava Suárez said the system respects privacy by not recording facial images. The project is funded with an 80‑million‑peso investment as part of a broader modernization programme.