How could the Swedish railway industry adopt digitalized safety innovation : A case study of cloud-based systems

The Swedish railway industry is defined by its conservative nature, stringent regulatory frameworks, and complex stakeholder structures, all of which raise significant barriers to the implementation of digitalized safety innovations. This thesis investigates how such digitalized safety systems could be implemented at level crossings, by utilizing a structured approach offered by the challenge driven framework (CDF). The research explores if the framework would effectively address the barriers that prevent the technologies implementation. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including engineers, innovation managers, and infrastructure authorities. The findings reveal two primary challenges: (1) engineering-driven development with limited commercial strategies and stakeholder alignment, and (2) systemic inertia due to regulatory and institutional constraints, which are reflective of the core issues that exist within the industry. The CDF is applied to assess its effectiveness in addressing these barriers. The study concludes that even-though the CDF provides a useful roadmap for structured innovation deployment, its utility is constrained when innovation showcases certain distinct barrierS, underscoring the need for early stakeholder collaboration, adaptive regulatory policies, and mission-aligned commercialization strategies to further the implementation.