Intelligent systems for rail safety

Next Generation Train

A central goal of the research work on "Safe and Robust Communications and Localization for Next Generation Trains" is to bring more passenger and freight traffic onto the rails and thus make an important contribution to the decarbonization of transport. We are researching key technologies that will make rail transport more autonomous and enable a more flexible composition of trains in order to optimize route capacities and increase passenger comfort through fewer changes. Together with cooperation partners, we play a leading role in planning and developing the necessary communication and localization processes to enable such new solutions and test them in real environments.

One of these key technologies is the automatically controlled and virtual coupling of trains - also known as "dynamic winging" or platooning of trains. Trains are no longer connected mechanically and electrically, but via wireless data transmission. Partial trains with different routes can thus be coupled to form a train and handed over to other trains while traveling on the open track. In this way, the use of the rail network can be further increased through a denser train sequence. Reliable wireless data transmission as well as highly available and precise train localization are fundamental prerequisites for dynamic train movements.

Trains run on one-dimensional tracks. On the main lines, costly installations ensure that no two trains are on the same section of track. This is not the case on secondary lines, which fatally leads to collisions time and again. The institute has therefore developed the "Railway Collision Avoidance System" (RCAS), which is based on satellite positioning and radio and therefore does not require expensive infrastructure.

In addition, important infrastructure-less technologies have been developed to localize trains, especially in tunnels where there are no satellite navigation signals. They can also be used to localize trains on busy main lines.

Projects from the topic area

Determining the position of trains using a magnetic field

IMPACT

In the "IMPACT" project (Intelligent Magnetic Positioning for Avoiding Collisions of Trains), a system is being developed that functions autonomously on board and enables precise track positioning even under difficult operating conditions. The local magnetic field is used to localize the train and artificial intelligence is applied.

Overall system for collision avoidance of trains

RCAS - Railway Collision Avoidance System

Information such as position, speed and planned routing is exchanged via infrastructure-free train-to-train communication. The system evaluates the situation and suggests solutions to the driver in critical situations or intervenes in the braking behavior so that the trains come to an early stop if there is a risk of collision.