In cooperation with Stadtwerke Ulm (SWU), a utility serving the German city of Ulm, Siemens has begun to turn its vision of self-driving streetcars into reality. Since 2015, the company has been working on the first stage of this process: a driver assistance system designed to prevent collisions. It consists of sensors that are also used in cars. A system consisting of radar and a camera helps the driver to avoid collisions with other streetcars, cars, buses, and trucks by means of warning signals or automatic braking. SWU is providing a vehicle and personnel for test drives and also for the system’s use during regular operation.
Today, two years later, the driver assistance system is ready for series production — it’s the first step toward the self-driving streetcar. All of the streetcars in Ulm, as well as in The Hague and Bremen, will be fitted with the Siemens Tram Assistant V1.0
