Hyundai Rotem Obtains Korea's First Safety Certification for Railway Vehicles in the UK

Published 22 Dec.2021 08:30(KST)

Successful Integrated Safety Evaluation Certification for Jinjeop Line Electric Train

On December 21, at Hyundai Rotem's Uiwang headquarters, Kim Jong-nyeon, head of Hyundai Rotem Rail Solution Research Center (left), and Shin Seok-gyun, Ricardo Rail East Asia representative (right), are posing for a commemorative photo holding the independent safety evaluation certificate for the Jinjeop Line electric train. (Photo by Hyundai Rotem)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hye-young] Hyundai Rotem announced on the 22nd that it has obtained the world's first global safety certification for the entire unit of a railway vehicle in Korea.

The independent safety evaluation of electric trains involves an independent and professional organization assessing the integrated safety of the entire vehicle unit, including safety-related components such as signals, brakes, and doors, according to international railway safety standards.

Hyundai Rotem obtained this certification from Ricardo Certification, a UK railway safety evaluation agency. This organization is a UK-accredited body responsible for railway quality certification under UKAS, which is globally recognized for its credibility. Hyundai Rotem explained that acquiring certification from UKAS demonstrates its capability to manage the safety of entire vehicle units in accordance with international railway safety standards in the UK, the birthplace of railways.

The safety certification for the Jinjeop Line electric trains (a metropolitan railway line connecting Danggogae on Line 4 to Jinjeop Station in Namyangju) obtained by Hyundai Rotem is also significant as it is the first entire vehicle unit safety certification in Korea. While safety evaluations in Korea have been conducted only at the component and device level, advanced railway countries such as those in Europe are increasingly requiring comprehensive safety evaluations of entire vehicle units during project bidding.

As the evaluation of entire vehicle unit safety is gradually being introduced domestically to strengthen safety, Hyundai Rotem is the first Korean company to obtain this certification.

To acquire this certification, Hyundai Rotem prepared a total of 16 safety verification documents over about four years from 2017 to this year, including system and interface hazard analysis reports, design phase verification reports, and final system safety analysis reports.

Additionally, various safety management activities such as safety inspections of key core components and tests of the electric train's critical safety systems were also evaluated. Hyundai Rotem succeeded in obtaining the certification after undergoing a total of 49 evaluation opinion documents, various audits, and test attendances throughout the process.

Hyundai Rotem has completed the delivery of the Jinjeop Line electric trains (ordered in 2017), which obtained the independent safety evaluation certification, to the client, the Korea Rail Network Authority, this month.

Having accumulated know-how in acquiring safety certification according to international standards through the independent safety evaluation certification process for electric trains, Hyundai Rotem expects to respond more stably to related certification procedures required domestically and internationally in the future.

A Hyundai Rotem official said, “The experience gained during the certification acquisition process will serve as a foundation for the independent safety evaluation certification of railway vehicle units in the future market,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen our competitiveness related to vehicle safety and strive to supply safer vehicles.”