Over the years, mass transit hubs such as airports, train stations and ports have been a recurring setting for shootings, bombings and other violent attacks around the world. While the statistics on terrorist attacks and mass shootings suggest these events are rare, transit officials cannot afford to take these risks lightly. The fear alone of an attack is enough to put many commuters on edge, which can easily lead to other dangers, such as false alarms that can cause mass panic.
What's more, traditional security measures such as increased security personnel, additional checkpoints and metal scanners are fallible. These protocols may have issues catching a threat before it can occur and often cause disruption and frustration for commuters who must stop for security checks that cost them valuable time and invade their privacy.