An assisted train driving system improves safety

A suite of sensors makes industrial railyards and city transport safer for workers and pedestrians

Spotted: The World Economic Forum (WEF) reports that “Rail freight can achieve climate neutrality without the need for any additional infrastructure and at the same time consumes six times less green energy than road transport.” Helping to make this a reality while also improving safety is Belgian autonomous rail specialist OTIV. The company has introduced three new systems for assisted and autonomous railways. 

OTIV.ONE provides assistance for railyard shunting in situations where the driver is sat in a pushing engine at the rear of a long line of carriages. Such operations are necessary at ports where there is no space for trains to turn around, but were previously dangerous due to the driver’s lack of visibility of what is going on at the front of the train. OTIV.ONE’s sensors provide a 200-degree livestream view for the driver, regardless of how far ahead or around a curve the front of the convoy is. The sensors are sturdy and work in any weather conditions. They are attached by magnets, making the entire system easy to move to different vehicles as required.

OTIV.TWO provides advanced driving assistance technology for urban transport systems. Artificial intelligence segments all objects in the area, helping drivers spot pedestrians, and monitors traffic lights for a smoother ride.

OTIV.THREE is a fully autonomous rail driving system that is currently in development. Autonomous rail driving systems could increase the amount of time that rail operations operate each day, thereby improving efficiencies and reducing pollution. At some point, 24-hour systems could become the norm.

Other rail innovations Springwise has spotted recently include electrifying rail cargo transport and replacing short haul, budget flights with luxury rail “hotels on wheels.”