Wong Shaw Voon, a mechanical engineer by profession, said the LRT control centre is expected to be semi-automated to a certain point.
“LRT, just like the rest of the systems, will have an overriding or back-up system during maintenance or upgrade of their server or the IT system.
“We do not know what really happened last night but a back-up system to minimise risk is crucial,” he told FMT.
Last night, 47 passengers were seriously injured and 166 others suffered light injuries when two LRT trains collided on the underground tracks between the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and Kampung Baru stations.
According to Wong, the LRT control centre should have an overriding system to inform and send out an alert on any faulty devices.
“This may also need to be looked into,” the research board member of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) said.
He said it was easier to monitor a rail track as compared to cars that weave in and out of traffic, posing a higher risk of accidents.
Because of that, he said, the LRT accident needs to be reviewed scientifically by experts to determine the cause of the crash so that such accidents can be avoided in the future.
Wong, who is also a consultant on the safety aspects of vehicles, suggested that the design of the LRT coach may also need to be reviewed.
“We need to look at ways to improve the design to minimise injuries. Even if there is a bad crash, passengers should not be at risk.
“An unfortunate accident has taken place. Now we need to look at every possibility to improve the system. Learn the lessons needed,” he said.
He said even those in charge of the mass rapid transit (MRT) line in the Klang Valley could learn from this accident.
“This is not just about improving the back-up system but to ensure every aspect of safety is looked into.”
Wong said it was also crucial to be transparent with the victims and public to gain public confidence.
“We need to inform them what happened and what is being done. Otherwise, the public may have trust issues,” he added.