Moscow Metro Is Testing a Track-Fall Detection System
The technology will alert autonomous trains when an obstacle is detected on the tracks.
A new automated system for detecting falls onto the tracks is being tested at the Pechatniki station on Moscow’s Big Circle Line. The system will alert autonomous trains to obstacles on their route, according to the press service of the Moscow Department of Transport and Road Infrastructure Development.
How does an autonomous train know whether the track ahead is clear? The track-fall detection system provides the warning — and also alerts passengers if they get too close to the platform edge.
How does it work? A set of video cameras, a lidar unit, and a dedicated sensor system are installed above the tracks. Together, they scan the area and detect any objects that fall onto the rails.
Just One Second
The system needs only one second to flag a potential hazard. It instantly transmits the information via a secure channel to the train’s control systems and the dispatch center. Once the train receives the signal, it stops immediately. Metro services are then dispatched to the location where the foreign object was detected.
Earlier, we reported that robotic dogs being tested by Russian Railways are set to be trained to understand and carry out voice commands.
