SmarTram:
Basic research into autonomous tram operation in Chemnitz
Autonomous driving is already a reality for metro and underground systems and is a highly topical issue for car traffic. However, trams have specific requirements, such as driving on sight. The vehicle is track-bound as a rail vehicle, cannot swerve, but participates in road traffic.
From October 2022 to September 2025, we participated in the SmartTram research project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. Under the project management of Hörmann Vehicle Engineering GmbH, the project partners, which also include Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft mbH (IABG) and FusionSystems GmbH, are developing solutions for an autonomous driving tram.
The project addresses the following key questions:
• What must a tram ‘be able to do’ in order to fulfil the complex requirements during the journey autonomously, taking into account safety and traffic-related criteria?
• What information does the tram need for this and how can this be transferred to the vehicle?
• Which disruptions - from weather-related visual obstacles to the assessment of unexpected events - can occur during everyday driving and need to be recorded?
In order to answer these questions and collect the necessary data, the Tatra T3D-M 525 tram drive vehicle was equipped as a test vehicle.
Due to the interdependence and complexity between the vehicle and infrastructure, autonomous driving was implemented for a selected section of track within the tram depot. The SmarTram reacted automatically to traffic lights and obstacles, adhered precisely to the speeds specified for the route, flashed its indicators automatically when turning and stopped with centimetre precision at specified markings.
Dr. Volkmar Vogel, HÖRMANN Vehicle Engineering (on the left) und David Joram, CVAG (on the right) at the press conference marking the end of the project SmarTram.
Conclusion and outlook
David Joram, Head of Technology at CVAG, is contended with the state of development. Nevertheless, he believes that fully autonomous trams on the network are still a long way off. 'As a first step, it would be desirable if, in the medium term, trams at our depot could carry out washing and parking manoeuvres automatically in order to optimise operational processes.’
Dr. Volkmar Vogel, Senior Vice President of project consortium leader HÖRMANN Vehicle Engineering, is certain ‘that the project results will be incorporated into the development of an intelligent driver assistance system in the medium term, which will provide significant support to drivers and form the basis for the further development of autonomous trams.’