Over the past few years we have seen how technology has advanced extremely rapidly, allowing many countries to renew their key infrastructures to offer citizens the best services, even if this involves an extremely large investment. Now, one of the oldest systems that still uses technologies that are very backward in terms of performance such as floppy disks will take the leap to eliminate these storage systems and opt for much better solutions, and the SFMTA has approved a plan to eliminate his use.
The floppy disks They have been a fundamental part of computer technology for a long time, and due to the progress involved in developing this system of storage many institutions began to use them to create their first computer network, which they have maintained for many years, using these devices even in the middle of 2024. But it is clear that there is a time when we must leave these types of outdated technologies behind, and it seems to be that the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency wanted to take the leap to make the change, since they have signed several contracts to renew the computer system that controls the entire infrastructure.
Floppy disks in 2024? It will no longer be the case
There is a large number of new developments that we can find in the midst of technological development like the one we are currently experiencing, a time in which we can find almost daily presentations of advances that can change the way we see some aspects of computing. But this does not imply that everything in the world at the infrastructure level is always the order of the day, since the changes that would entail having to implement all these advances would be too large and expensive for this to happen.
This obviously does not mean that we have to stay stuck in the past, something demonstrated by the SFMTA, the organization in charge of transportation in San Francisco, which has signed a $212 million contract to eliminate floppy disks from the control system of San Francisco’s light rail. Muni, and another $488 million for maintenance.
The SFMT’s concern about making this change had to do with a possible “catastrophic failure” in the infrastructure, explaining how the current floppy-based system worked:
“When a train enters the subway, its on-board computer connects to the train control system to run it in automatic mode, in which the trains drive themselves while operators supervise them. When they leave the subway, they disconnect from ATCS and return to manual operation on the street.
The complete overhaul to replace all Muni Metro infrastructure is expected to be completed in 2033 or 2034, while communications related, eliminating floppy disks and changing cables/systems, is expected to be completed in 2027 or 2028. This change is expected to be completed in 2027 or 2028. adds to the efforts that other countries such as Germany and Japan have made in general terms to eliminate completely the use of the floppy disksleaving behind a technology that was already quite outdated.
