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ModSafe

The purpose of the MODSafe project is to undertake research of major steps of the Safety Life Cycle of urban guided transport systems in Europe. Even if the rail safety landscape in urban guided transport is highly diversified, the sector will benefit from some kind of harmonization. Furthermore, security items are considered more and more as vital for the urban transport sector. The 22 partners are from industry, associations, R&D organisations, consultants and operators.

The MODSafe project successfully started in 2008 with state of the art evaluations and initial models. Hazard analyses, safety requirements as well as functional and object models have been developed in the safety sector, while a life cycle approach proposal and an approval approach were established in the process sector. For the security sector, the existing means and technologies for security systems have been analysed, forming the base for a model reference under development.

MODSafe shall have given guidance on how to deal with the diversities, to find a common European strategy. Final results focus on cross acceptance of proven and certified technologies. The application of the work packages’ deliverables and outcomes shall be straight forward, in order to reduce the efforts and manpower needs, even for a first certification.

These activities help to create common safety and security methods, in order to reduce barriers within the European Union. As a result, competition and common/ equal safety standards may be enabled. MODSafe however also shows the limits of standardization for technical safety functions and objects, as the consensus building process has shown. The networks and connections created for this project (e.g. network of operators, urban rail suppliers as well as transport research institutions and other related parties like an independent safety assessor) help to establish an ongoing, target oriented discussion and therefore reveal common goals and a better understanding of different European procedures and needs.

The MODSafe results may influence the potential future standardization for Urban Guided Transport. The principle suitability of the methods and results presented can be considered proven through application in more and more projects.