Smart Vehicles and the Missing Data Layer at Railway Crossings
May 15, 2026 | Trenify Foundation
Modern cars come equipped with ADAS, 360° cameras, and advanced navigation. They know everything – signs, obstacles, other vehicles. But there's one thing they don't know: whether a train is about to pass through the railway crossing ahead.
What Navigation Systems Tell You
Contemporary road navigation systems include data on railway crossing locations. They alert the driver when a crossing is 200 metres ahead and show the appropriate symbol on the map.
This is static information, however – based on a database, not reality. The navigation system does not know whether a train travelling at 160 km/h is about to appear around the bend.
Three Layers That Need Integration
- Train movement data – position and speed of every train in real time
- Crossing infrastructure – digital map of crossings with geometric parameters
- Vehicle navigation system – the communication channel to the driver
Layers 2 and 3 are partially integrated today (navigation knows crossing locations). Layer 1 remains isolated – real-time train data does not reach vehicle navigation systems.
Fragmentation of Rail Operators
Dozens of rail operators in Poland each have their own IT system, with no unified API or data standard for live train movements. For a navigation system manufacturer, integrating with one operator takes months; integrating with all takes years.
"We don't lack technology. We lack a shared data layer that could connect railway systems with road vehicle systems."
— Trenify Foundation Report, 2026
Trainradar24 already aggregates real-time train data from multiple sources. Read about the pilot solution: Trainradar24 pilots real-time driver warnings.
