There’s absolutely nothing that can go wrong with New York City’s plan to install giant touchscreens to replace their static subway maps. Certainly not in a city noted for covering anything near it with graffiti the instant it’s constructed or installed.
To be fair, it’s easy to understand why New York might want to make its subway system clearer for tourists and business travelers; the system grew up around the city, is one of the most far-ranging systems in the world, and is fairly easy to get lost in.
The idea is that travelers tell the kiosk where they want to go, and it offers simple directions and a clear map. Other crucial functions, like beggar-dodging, are still up to the individual.
On the other hand, this also raises the question about what will happen when these things are inevitably hacked, or defaced. Because giant table-sized touchscreens are decidedly not cheap.
But hey, it’s neat and while it probably won’t replace using your smartphone (or a paper map), at least it’ll look all futuristic. And when it gets defaced, it’ll be cyberpunky!
Wayfinding Kiosks [MTA Control Group]