NEXCOM International Co., Ltd.
NEXCOM International Co., Ltd.
Driver Advisory System (DAS)-Embedded Smart Trains
Light rail systems are growing in popularity, but they come with issues that only a comprehensive transportation system can resolve.
- Background: Countries are rapidly establishing more advanced and environmentally-friendly rail transportation infrastructure
Across the globe, the marriage of technology and construction, combined with sustained urbanization and industrialization, has arguably led to various countries building efficient and effective modes of public transportation. In particular, light rail systems have received substantial investments from both public and private sectors, especially in second tier and satellite cities, as they often require fewer costs and less time to launch services.
In designing and planning an at-grade light rail system infrastructure, transportation agencies need to contend with both natural and manmade obstacles, which are usually not major issues with underground systems. In particular, light rail vehicles often share surface streets with and must maintain safe distances from other forms of ground transportation and pedestrians. Agencies must also cope with existing crossroads as well as construct overpasses and underpasses. A quality transportation management system should additionally be comprehensive enough that it can be incorporated in other rail infrastructures and environments, so as to minimize each subsequent railway line’s startup and implementation costs. Furthermore, the system needs to be able to intelligently manage functions such as power monitoring and maintenance needs, thus saving money and downtime.
Though technology has progressed adequately to support completely automated metro system infrastructure, at-grade light rail is not ready just yet.
