It’s called Tram Forward Collision Warning, and it’s Bosch’s driver assistance system. This alerts the driver to obstacles and automatically brakes in an emergency.
Tram Forward Collision Warning di Bosch
From today, trams are safer, for citizens and travelers. In fact, the new is coming Tram Forward Collision Warning, an innovative tram driver assistance system developed by Bosch. This is a real driving assistant capable of detecting obstacles on the tracks and alerting the driver of various dangers. The system is also able, if the driver does not intervene, to automatically brake in the tram to prevent any impacts.
“The solution aims to increase the safety of tram circulation in cities to protect people’s lives and avoid increasingly frequent material damage that entails high costs for transport network operators,” he explains. Heiko Mangold, engineering manager for the rail sector of Bosch Engineering.
The assistance system consists of a multifunction camera, a radar sensor and an electronic control unit. The camera detects the boundaries of the tracks, as well as the vehicles and people in front of the tram and communicates the information in real time to the radar sensor. The information on the objects acquired by the video and radar system flows into an overall picture of the surrounding environment. Based on this information and considering the vehicle speed, the control unit calculates the collision risk.
If the driver does not react in time, the system stops the vehicle
The danger is signaled by an acoustic signal and a visual indication on the control panel. The driver has about two seconds to react, if it does not intervene, the automatic system will brake to stop the tram. Deceleration occurs gradually so as not to cause damage or injury, even serious, to standing passengers. In addition to the numerous benefits in terms of safety, the system also allows you to save on repair costs from collisions and breakdowns.
This year, our Bosch system is integrated in approx 550 trams in 19 cities in Europe and Australia, making road traffic safer. From 2022, the system will also be used in North America.