Utilising technological development to improve safety in tram traffic

Based on the investigation, the tram industry has been lagging significantly behind other modes of transport in terms of introducing technology that improves safety and supports the driver. Rolling stock suppliers have such technology, but its utilisation in everyday traffic is limited.
All tram traffic in Finland is based on drivers operating in on sight mode, i.e. the driver is responsible for all operations. In such operations, technical systems play a major role in improving safety.

Urban rail operators deploy more technologies that improve safety and support drivers in tram traffic.

A system that monitors speed limits and prevents overspeeding is an extremely important safety enhancement technology. The transmission of signal information to the tram would also promote safety significantly. The technology used to monitor the alertness of drivers should also be developed.
Real-time monitoring of the number of passengers in cars based on automatic passenger counting systems would, for example, make it easier to determine the correct response by the rescue services in case of an accident.

In the ongoing procurement project of the new trams, Metropolitan Area Transport Ltd requires, among other things, the following safety systems from the carriages: front collision avoidance system, a system for warning of persons and obstacles in front of or at an angle to the carriage, a system for warning of obstacles too close to the track, and a system for limiting speed in curves, for example. Metropolitan Area Transport has also been mapping, among other things, anti-collision systems with a view to the existing tram fleet, but the current plan is most probably to aim at using a similar system in the future as the one to be installed in the new carriages. As far as the other recommended auxiliary systems are concerned, Metropolitan Area Transport will analyse the alternatives and their feasibility in more detail.