Tram Augsburg

The digitization is everywhere.
Recently I was going with the tram which was not really a new one and more looked like 20 years ago. But one should notice that in the old days of course there were no electronic displays showing the next stop or outside the tram to show the final destination. Also many controls at the drivers seat are now done via a small touch screen.

But I also noticed some other thing that made me laugh a little bit: The tram still rings a bell where cars usually honk, but I could hear that this time it wasn’t a real bell like in the old days. Instead they are using a digital sample of the original bell that is just played through a speaker. That’s something I don’t really understand. Why this? Were there problems with the old method using a real bell?

There are many other examples of how the digitilization changes our public transportation environment, especially when it’s about advertising. At nearly every station there are already some video projections or displays showing news and advertising. But there are even more innovative ideas like moving pictures outside a running underground train.