ARISE project wins Global Light Rail Award for best safety initiative

The EIT Urban Mobility-funded ARISE project was honoured on 7 October 2026 at the Global Light Rail Awards ceremony in London. The awards recognise the best tram and light rail projects and initiatives worldwide. 

ARISE won first prize in the ‘Significant Safety Initiative’ category, ahead of fellow nominees Nottingham Trams, RKH Qitarat, Keolis Hyderabad, Tram Operations Ltd, West Midlands Metro, IHF, Railway Assurance and Skoda. The project also received a ‘Highly Commended’ distinction in the ‘Team of the Year’ category. 

A European project funded by EIT Urban Mobility 

ARISE (Advanced Rail Innovation for Safety and Efficiency) is funded by EIT Urban Mobility. It aims to develop advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) powered by artificial intelligence (AI) for trams, helping drivers react faster to hazards such as pedestrians, cyclists and obstacles on the track. The project targets a 20% reduction in tram accidents and a 5% improvement in network efficiency. The technology was piloted in Zaragoza, Lisbon and Antwerp. 

The project brings together two universities, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and University College London (UCL), which were responsible for scientifically validating the results. Other partners include the UPC research institute CARNET, Belgian technology company OTIV and rail manufacturer CAF. 

Testing new safety technology on trams 

In Zaragoza, researchers installed the technology on two trams, using cameras and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors to monitor the area in front of the vehicles and detect obstacles. A display alerts drivers to potential hazards, while the system takes the tram's speed into account to determine when an audible warning is needed. 

To assess the system's effectiveness, researchers from UCL worked alongside tram drivers between 14 and 16 January, analysing drivers' response times and using headsets to monitor their brain activity while driving. The researchers also interviewed the drivers to gather feedback on the technology. 

The award recognises the work of the ARISE consortium in developing and testing technology designed to improve tram safety. Supported by EIT Urban Mobility, the ARISE project highlights how collaboration between universities, research organisations, technology companies and transport operators can contribute to developing innovative solutions to improve urban transport safety.