French railway company SNCF is using Google Glass to check passengers’ tickets before boarding, in a test of the technology that could be rolled out across the network.

IDTGV, a 10-year-old subsidiary of SNCF, operates “low-cost” rail services and also serves as an innovation lab, testing new services and technologies that, if they prove useful, can be deployed throughout the group. IDTGV operates around 10,000 trains a year, serving 30 destinations and 4 million passengers. Unlike for other SNCF trains, IDTGV tickets can’t be bought at the station: Customer service is all electronic, whether by phone, chat, email, social networks or online self-service. Customers handle their booking, seat placement and service selection. To ensure that everyone aboard is a paying passenger, IDTGV staff on the station platform use the mini-tablet to scan tickets, whether on paper, smartphone screen or RFID card.

For now, IDTGV staff will only use Google Glass during the platform ticket check, aiming to strengthen their relationship with the client by maintaining eye contact — but the company may test onboard uses of the technology later.

Source http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/; photo: http://golem13.fr/