Why Electric Vehicles May Suddenly Stall on Railway Tracks: Expert Explanation
The phenomenon of vehicles stalling suddenly while crossing railway tracks is often attributed to electromagnetic field interference. However, for electric vehicles (EVs), the technical causes behind such incidents possess different characteristics compared to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
Agus Purwadi, an automotive expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), explains that functional failures in EVs while on railway tracks are generally related to energy management systems and vehicle protection mechanisms. Unlike ICE vehicles, which typically stall due to ignition or fuel supply issues, EVs rely heavily on the integrity of smart electrical systems.
One of the most crucial yet often overlooked causes is the condition of the 12-volt battery, or auxiliary battery. Although electric vehicles possess a high-voltage (HV) traction battery to power the motor, the entire computer system, sensors, lights, and other smart devices are powered by a 12V battery, similar to the battery in a conventional car.
Agus emphasises that if this 12V battery experiences a power drop or fails, the main relay or primary switch will be unable to close. Consequently, power from the large main battery cannot be transmitted to the drive motor. “The car will shut down completely even if the main battery percentage is still at 80 per cent,” stated Agus.
Modern electric vehicles are equipped with various high-level safety features to prevent permanent damage or fire hazards. Several protection systems that could trigger a sudden stall on railway tracks include internal vehicle safeguards.
Regarding the issue of electromagnetic interference (EMI) in railway crossing areas, particularly on commuter rail lines with overhead transmission cables, experts assess the possibility of it directly disabling an EV to be quite low. While extreme electromagnetic fields have the potential to disrupt data communication on a vehicle’s Controller Area Network (CAN), the shielding technology in modern electric vehicles is highly proficient.
Yannes Martinus Pasaribu, another automotive expert from ITB, added that electric vehicles possess high resistance to electromagnetic interference. Before being brought to market, every EV unit must pass a series of electromagnetic compatibility tests. “Technically, EVs have a very low potential for sudden engine failure when crossing railway tracks due to electromagnetic fields,” explained Yannes.
In conclusion, the primary cause of electric vehicles stalling on railway tracks is more frequently triggered by internal vehicle issues, such as a weak 12V battery or the activation of automatic protection systems due to physical shocks, rather than solely due to magnetic interference from the railway tracks.