Friday night’s near-disaster at JFK airport
For those thinking about preventative solutions, there are <i>some</i> existing, all very expensive of course.<p>The simplest is placing a row of red lights in the ground at all intersections to runways. When an airplane is cleared for takeoff and until it is airborne the controller presses a button and turns all these lights red.  Pilots are instructed that regardless of clearance, a red light over-rides that, and to never cross it. These lights are installed at JFK, but apparently NOT at the intersection inquisition. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runway_status_lights" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runway_status_lights</a>).<p>JFK also has Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE). Which is essentially ground radar including transponder/ADS-B replies. Many have automated alerts when it detects a potential runway incursion. Not known if any such system alerted the controller.<p>There is obviously room for more to be done in this space.