28 April 2025
“Aiming high, staying safe!” is TÜV SÜD’s motto at Interalpin 2025. The TIC company’s services for manufacturers, operators, and designers extend from final and periodic inspection to support with innovative ropeway concepts and inspection of outdoor parks. Interalpin will be held in Innsbruck from May 6 to 9, 2025. (Hall B.0, Booth B026a)
TÜV SÜD’s ropeway experts offer all statutory testing, inspection, and conformity assessment services that are required for the placing on the market and safe operation of these transportation systems, including final and periodic inspections of ropeways and drag lifts and testing of material handling ropeways (with and without limited passenger transport), as well as safety analyses and reports. Other important activities include conformity assessments of safety components and sub-systems in accordance with the EU’s Cableway Regulation 2016/424 as well as non-destructive tests such as magnetic testing (MT) of steel cables used in passenger transport systems. TÜV SÜD also supports ropeway operators in Austria with the new comprehensive general inspection of ropeways after 40 years of service.
Automation and artificial intelligence
When it comes to the design and development of innovative ropeway concepts, the expertise and experience of the TÜV SÜD experts are particularly sought after in cases such as the AURO concept by Doppelmayr/Garaventa and Leitner’s LeitPilot concept for autonomous ropeway operation without ropeway attendants. “In the past, every station had to be manned by at least one ropeway attendant to ensure passengers embarked and disembarked safely,” says Dr Georg Schober, Head of Transportation at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH. Automation and artificial intelligence are also becoming increasingly important in the ropeway industry be it in the planning of additional services or the optimisation and control of systems and processes. Dr Georg Schober will provide an insight into the requirements of the new EU AI Regulation (EU) 2024/168 in his presentation ‘Ready for the AI Regulation?’ at Interalpin in Session 5 of the Inspiration Days on 8 May 2025 at 2:50 p.m.
Safe outdoor parks and bike trails
TÜV SÜD is extending its service portfolio for ropeway operators by introducing final and periodic inspection of outdoor parks. “Many outdoor leisure attractions, including summer toboggans, high ropes courses, and bike parks, are fastened to natural structures or made of natural materials,” explains Peter Hofer, Head of Business Unit Ropeway of TÜV SÜD’s subsidiary in Austria. “Given this, these facilities require special attention during installation, maintenance, operation, and periodic inspection.“
The experts support the realization of outdoor parks by offering extensive services that span feasibility studies and advisory services during design, document review to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations, preparation of risk management plans, and the final inspection of new facilities, as well as periodic inspection of their structural integrity and operational safety. Many bike parks, such as those in Soelden and Saalbach, have already been awarded the “TÜV SÜD Tested Mountain Bike Trails” certificate.
For more information about TÜV SÜD’s extensive services on ropeway safety, go to tuvsud.com/cableways and tuvsud.com/de-at/seilbahn.
Press contact: Dr Thomas Oberst
