Israeli startup Niart Systems, a rising force in AI-powered railway safety, has named Vicki Elman as its new CEO. Formerly Vice President of Business Development at the company, Elman steps into the role immediately, following an interim leadership period under ELTA Systems.
Founded in 2024, Niart Systems is transforming railway safety through a fusion of radar and artificial intelligence. The company’s system is designed to detect obstacles on railway tracks and deliver real-time insights—even in challenging visibility conditions like fog, night, or heavy rain. With Elman at the helm, Niart is poised to accelerate its mission of advancing next-gen railway safety and digitalization.
Elman brings deep technical expertise to her new role, with previous leadership positions at Elta Systems, where she contributed to major defense projects including Israel’s Iron Dome. Her defense background now plays a central role in Niart’s transition of military-grade technologies into the rail industry.
From Iron Dome to Rail Tracks: A New Era of Safety Tech
Niart’s core technology reflects a growing global shift toward AI-powered railway safety solutions. The global digital railway market is booming, with a projected CAGR of 9.7% and an estimated value well over $57 billion by the end of the decade. The demand for safer, more automated, and efficient rail systems is fueling the adoption of AI, IoT, and sensor fusion technologies across both passenger and freight networks.
Niart’s radar and AI system—built to recognize and classify obstacles in real-time—represents a major leap forward for rail safety. During a recent test with Alstom, the system successfully identified various objects, including people and vehicles, from up to 500 meters away. The system’s precision, even in poor weather, comes from its combination of high-resolution radar, electro-optical sensors, and machine learning algorithms—many of which stem from Elman’s prior work in the defense sector.
This crossover from military to civilian applications marks a growing trend in the transportation industry. More rail tech companies are leveraging hardened defense technologies to build systems that are not only more capable but also more reliable in real-world conditions.
Enabling the Future of Autonomous Rail
Niart’s technology doesn’t just enhance safety—it lays the groundwork for full-scale rail automation. Its AI-driven obstacle detection system played a central role in a successful Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) test, where an autonomous locomotive avoided multiple obstacles without human intervention. These kinds of tests are accelerating the timeline for when autonomous freight and shunting operations could become a commercial reality.
Niart plans to begin commercial production of its systems in FY2025. As automation gains traction globally and governments back digital railway upgrades, the company is strategically positioned to ride the next wave of industry transformation. While R&D remains anchored in Israel, Niart has its sights set on the U.S. market for expansion—making 2025 a pivotal year for both the company and the broader rail automation sector.
Under Vicki Elman’s leadership, Niart Systems represents the next evolution of railway safety—one where artificial intelligence, real-time data, and battle-tested sensing technologies come together to make trains smarter, safer, and more autonomous than ever.
