Today (Monday 14 September), Edinburgh Trams is reporting a successful first 8 months since the full implementation of LeadMind Automatic Vehicle Speed Monitoring (AVSM), a safety mechanism designed to prevent trams overturning due to over speeding, on Monday 12 January 2026. The implementation of LeadMind AVSM was Edinburgh Trams' response to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) recommendation No 3 into the overturning of a tram at Sandilands junction in Croydon on 9 November 2016.
The system, which was developed over multiple years by tram maintainers CAF alongside Edinburgh Trams Ltd., uses a combination of odometry and GPS signals to track exactly where trams are on Edinburgh’s 18.4km tramline.
LeadMind AVSM continually records the speed trams are travelling at and plots them against a route map to ensure trams are travelling at the correct speed for the location. If trams are found to be over-speeding, or if trams are approaching a curve above the determined safe speed, the driver receives a visual and audible warning via a control panel display screen in the cab. If the driver fails to adjust their speed within a reasonable time, they will receive a visual and audible alarm, and the automatic braking system will engage to bring the tram to a stop.
When this occurs, LeadMind AVSM brake applications are notifiable to the Operations Control Centre. The LeadMind AVSM system includes a web-based program, capable of viewing the live location and condition of trams on the network. This platform can also be used to investigate causation of all LeadMind AVSM activated emergency brake applications.
An early version of the software was trialled in December 2024, which issued the warnings to drivers and the Operations Control Centre, without applying the emergency brake. The purpose of this trial was to assess the system’s performance and allow drivers and controllers to become accustomed to the system prior to launch.
Throughout 2025, collaboration between tram drivers, driver trainers, controllers, engineering management, and CAF led to the development of the speed profile to streamline the system, making it safer and more reliable. The data supplied by LeadMind AVSM allows the team to assess system functionality, driver performance and emergency brake hot spot locations among other functions.
David Lowe, Managing Director at CAF UK said,
"The implementation of LeadMind Automatic Vehicle Speed Monitoring (AVSM) demonstrates how collaboration between operators, maintainers and technology providers can deliver meaningful improvements in operational safety. CAF is proud to have worked alongside Edinburgh Trams to implement this important safety enhancement and remains committed to supporting its continued development as operational experience helps inform the ongoing refinement and optimisation of the system, building on the strong foundations already established."
Sarah Singh, Tram Director at Edinburgh Trams Ltd, said,
“We are always striving to improve driving standards and ensure the highest possible levels of safety for colleagues and customers alike. We’re pleased that the introduction of LeadMind Automatic Vehicle Speed Monitoring (AVSM) has been so successful, thanks to the dedication of our operational and engineering teams, and we are proud to remain at the forefront of new technology.
“Our drivers, as well as other operational colleagues from across the business, work incredibly hard to ensure passenger safety, and we’re grateful for their hard work and dedication as we have implemented and refined LeadMind AVSM.
“We’ll continue to work with CAF and our internal colleagues alike to develop the system, ensuring we’re doing everything in our power to prevent incidents”.
