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With the increase in the speed of high speed trains like Vande Bharat, Railways is also continuously upgrading its technology for the safety of passengers. In this direction, the indigenous armor system of Indian Railways has now been made more advanced. Through the new Kavach 4.0, the system will be able to apply brakes on its own if any dangerous situation arises even in a high-speed train.

The most important thing about this technology is that if the train reaches the position of crossing the danger signal and the driver does not react in time, then the automatic system can intervene and control the speed of the train and can also apply brakes if needed.

What is the armor system of Indian Railways?
Kavach is an indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system. It has been developed by the Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO) of Indian Railways in collaboration with Indian companies.

Its main objective is to reduce the risk of railway accidents caused by human error. Especially in situations like crossing red signals and trains running at speeds exceeding the prescribed limit, this technology acts as a safety shield.
The train will handle even a speed of 160 km per hour
The new version of Kavach has been developed with the aim of strengthening the security system for high speed trains. If a dangerous situation arises while the train is moving at high speed and the loco pilot does not apply brakes in time, the system can assess the situation and initiate automatic braking process.

This means that the technology will act as an additional safety layer if there is a delay in the driver's reaction at high speed.
Continuous monitoring from track to signal
The Kavach system not only works inside the train, but also maintains continuous digital communication between the train, track and signaling system.

RFID tags and other necessary equipment installed on the railway track help the train to provide information about the situation around it. The armor equipment installed in the train keeps receiving signal and track information through radio communication.

This helps in taking safety decisions based on important information like train speed, location and signal status ahead.

There will be less risk of frontal and rear collision
Armor's technology isn't just aimed at controlling overspeeding. It also helps in reducing the chances of collision between trains.
If two trains are moving in each other's direction or there is a danger of getting too close to the train in front, the system can assist with safety procedures such as warning and braking depending on the situation.

What is SIL-4 safety standard?
The Kavach system has been developed to meet the high safety standard of Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4). This is considered a very important level from the point of view of railway safety.

Its objective is to keep the probability of technical failure in the system extremely low. This is the reason why armor is being considered an important part of the modern security system of Indian Railways.
Control room will also get train information

One advantage of the Kavach system is that information to the position and speed of the train can be transmitted to the operation and control system of the railway. This helps railway authorities to monitor trains and respond faster to any potential problems in the network.
What will change for passengers?
The biggest benefit of technology like armor will be in the form of additional protection to the passengers. As train speed increases, the risk of human error cannot be completely eliminated, but the automatic safety system acts as a second safety wall in such circumstances.
With the increased use of Kavach 4.0 in high-speed trains like Vande Bharat, Indian Railways aims to make high-speed travel not only faster but also safer. In the coming time, expansion of such indigenous technology on the railway network can further strengthen the security system of passengers.