In this new era of digital transformation, using future-proof data platforms has immense potential for railway operations. Operators are generating more and more data – from control command and signalling technology to infrastructure monitoring. In the course of digitalisation, data platforms allow existing and new data to be collected, intelligently bundled, and more efficiently used than ever before. With optimised data, the availability of railway infrastructure can be increased, and operations can be cost-efficiently adapted to existing as well as future requirements.

The transportation and mobility industries are on the cusp of a major revolution. Applications such as autonomous vehicles, dynamic, demand-led real-time traffic management using ‘vehicle to anything’ (V2X) technology and high-resolution video/CCTV linked to AI systems to improve compliance, safety and convenience via smart transportation infrastructure have all been spoken about for many years. Initially these were in the realm of science fiction, then discussed as conceptual ‘art of the possible’ technology topics, and now, finally, as realistic aspirations to be implemented in the near future.

As one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has experienced massive infrastructural development over the last few decades. This development has been most evident in its road network, which has undergone a significant expansion, resulting in over 25,000km of roads in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi alone. The quality of these roads is also exceptional, with Abu Dhabi’s road network ranking number one worldwide when it comes to road condition. Despite this impressive development, there are still challenges that the UAE faces when it comes to road maintenance.

Over the past few years, the rail sector has made huge strides forward. Digitalization is transforming operations and delivering a new standard of accountability and trust. Big Data generated through the deployment of sensors and delivered via mobile connectivity are opening new opportunities in safety, maintenance, and cargo owner services.

Dan MacGregor, Nexxiot Co-Founder explores these opportunities and explains how the newly released Vector sensor, used to monitor brakes, hatches, and doors on railcars, is a game changer for the industry.

Railnova connects assets to make rail transport reliable. We provide our customers with innovative and flexible solutions and accompany them to a comprehensive predictive maintenance and data-driven efficient asset management strategy.

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t a new phenomenon – it has been around for nearly half a century – but in more recent years it has become increasingly prevalent across a range of Internet of Things (IoT) applications. This acceleration has been driven mainly by the evolution of computational power based on GPU (graphics processing unit) computing. 

Transmission Dynamics are a UK based, multi-award winning, global innovator and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions provider, specialising in remote condition monitoring of high value assets. They have designed and deployed a range of proprietary technologies over the last two decades and these are now being utilised to monitor rail infrastructure using train borne sensor technology throughout the global rail industry. 

The Attensys Train Informer utilizes advanced sensors installed in the seats of trains plus video analytics that can detect whether or not a seat is occupied – and with what. These cutting-edge sensors, the latest in seat occupancy detection, are able to tell a person from an object and transmit data to a central system that can provide real-time information to passengers and train operators about the available seats on the train. With this technology, passengers can easily identify the comfortable spot to sit during their journey. 

Yumain introduces an intelligent device that processes and analyses the state of the pantograph in real time and sends an alert when a fault is detected. This embedded AI sets a new standard for predictive maintenance and guarantees the end of catenary tearing incidents.

BLS Cargo, a Swiss-based rail freight provider specialising in trans-alpine transports, has a presence in Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Belgium. They quickly took notice of this challenge. BLS Cargo is keen to stay on top of technology, and pushing their reliability forward is one of their trademarks. To work on the efficiency of key information transmission between drivers, BLS Cargo deployed a digital logbook and a digital corrective event notification based on Railnova software. However, it became clear that a translation feature was necessary for added effectiveness.  

This innovative work ensures that the operating system executed on the gateway will always behave as expected whatever incoming packets are received on the network link. Thanks to this architecture the cybersecurity gateway is acting as a firewall and thus isolating the CLEARSY Safety Platform (vital-computer) from external threat.

Artificial intelligence (AI) could prove to be nothing short of a gamechanger for the rail industry. Not only does it have the potential to optimise complex railway systems, improve the safety and security of urban rail networks, and enhance the customer experience, it can also help manage capacity and lifecycle costs, streamline maintenance activities, and reduce the risk of errors – all while bringing a high-level of automation to rail operations. 

Creating a complete ecosystem for connected rolling stock is not without its challenges. However, by using an increasingly popular and proven model known as co-creation, Passengera, Advantech and Intel have come up with a fully scalable solution that not only enhances the passenger experience, but also provides genuine monetization opportunities.

Intel experts can provide advice and support as you guide railway operators on their journey to a smart railway. We help simplify the path to intelligent operations with our end-to-end portfolio of technologies, years of expertise, and engineering resources.

The rail freight industry was valued at $247 billion in 2020 and grew to reach $271 billion in 2021. As population centers demand robust transportation services, rail cargo offers an optimal solution. Rail cargo is five times less polluting than road transport, safely keeps hazardous goods away from the public and is predictable and energy efficient.

Although innovation and digital transformation seem all about technology, they actually revolve around humans. Complex algorithms used for Artificial Intelligence (AI) contribute to making people's everyday lives a bit easier. 

Sensonic GmbH has made its name in the railway industry as a highly versatile provider of actionable real-time information arising out of monitoring railway assets. At InnoTrans 2022, the company introduces a new offer to utilise its technology for targeted inspection.

With the AR application, it is possible to relate a wagon in the workshop and an order from the maintenance management system in three dimensions. 

The intuitive mobile application zedas®cargo Train Check supports the wagon technician in paperless train control directly at the train. 

Customer excellence: the use of AI applications to achieve better customer service and intelligence amongst authorities and operators’ is one focus area highlighted in the report Artificial Intelligence in Mass Public Transport, released in December 2018 by the UITP Asia-Pacific Centre for Transport Excellence.