Poland: The producer has announced that it will provide operators with a free software licence for the Impuls EMUs control system along with the right to sublicence.
This will allow reverting the software to the version relevant at the time of purchase of the rolling stock. Newag attributes the decision to concerns that their trains may fail to meet basic safety requirements following external interference with their control systems back in 2022.
The manufacturer allegedly programmed malfunctions into the onboard systems of its Impuls trains to gain more business servicing them. In 2022, the Impuls EMUs locked up after maintenance by third parties or after travelling 1 mln km in several Polish regions. Newag considers such allegations to be slander and plans to defend itself in court. The Polish antitrust and law enforcement authorities as well as the parliamentary commission are investigating the case.
