Initial Results of Testing a Multilayer Laser Scanner in a Collision Avoidance System for Light Rail Vehicles

This paper presents an application to detect and track obstacles using a multilayer laser scanner. The goal of the detection system is to develop collision avoidance for the Light Rail Vehicle (LRV). The laser scanner, which is mounted in front of the tram, collects information in a four-scan plane. The object recognition and tracking module, which is composed of a three sub-modules segmentation, classification, and Kalman Filter tracking, was carried out on the raw data. Thus, data were provided for collision avoidance module. The proposed system was applied to a tram named “Silkworm” which is manufactured by Durmazlar Machine Inc. (Bursa, Turkey) and initial experimental tests have been conducted at the facilities of Durmazlar Machine Inc. in the city of Bursa, Turkey. This study aims to illustrate parts of the possible tests that can be carried out and to share with the scientific community an important application of multilayer laser scanners, although in the initial implementation phase, in urban rail transportation