About the technology

Operation of rail transport with driverless trains is an essential component for a climate-neutral and attractive transport mix. According to the state of the art, this goal cannot be attained with classical automation technologies alone in prevailing complex environments. On the other hand, there has been remarkable progress in the development of technologies for highly automated driving (on road and rail) based on the capabilities of AI. A significant unsolved challenge has been to link AI processes to the requirements and approval processes in the rail environment.

In this project, a consortium of the rail industry, technology suppliers, research institutions and standardization and testing organizations is defining a collaborative effort to link the worlds of AI and rail safety considerations and implement a practical solution, using a driverless regional train as an example. Test methods and tools for AI-based methods will be explored based on safety case procedure requirements. A detailed safety architecture will be developed using a driverless regional train as an example, and a system for this use case will be conceptually validated in a virtual test environment. Work from related industries will be utilized.