DIGITAL & AUTOMATIC UP TO AUTOMATED TRAIN OPERATIONS

The Flagship Project stemming from this topic should develop the following capabilities:

Capability for improving operation performance

Automating functions, such as the wake-up and train preparation capability is needed to start operation, causing the need for development within this Destination of:

• Enabler 1: Automating functions, such as train preparation for both passenger and freight trains. Incident handling, vehicle self-healing and self-managing, cooperative awareness at TRL6 in 2028. The work shall also cover auto-diagnostics, operational tests and reset capability of DATO and next generation ATC operated trains.

Trains must be continuously traceable for traffic control and train operators in automated operation. For this purpose, this Destination should develop:

• Enabler 2: Absolute safe train positioning at TRL6 in 2028
• Enabler 3: Train integrity highly accurate and safe, incorporating new sensors at TRL7 in 2028. Train Safe Length Determination at TRL6 (SIL4) in 2028. For this specific enabler, close coordination with the action to be funded under Destination 5 is to be performed, including an action plan for joint testing activities to be delivered within Month 3 of the project.
• Enabler 4: new ATO technology solutions for the automated driving and decision-making, interoperable, and for all application and segments (including freight and regional) for commercial run at TRL 6/7 in 2028. It should include the already available integration of C-DAS and should include appropriate interfaces with TMS for energy network management;
• Enabler 5: Connectivity solutions: train to ground communication (FRMCS) at TRL7, Multiconnectivity Platform (formerly ACS) at TRL6, Satellite Communications (TRL4) and V2X (TRL6) in 2028.

Safe unattended operation must be ensured by comprehensive, modular, and scalable perception systems (on-board and trackside) for both outdoor and indoor environments. Systems shall be developed under this Demonstration for:

• Enabler 6: Safe environment perception, including signal reading (when applicable) and obstacle detection (including for level crossing), supporting cooperative awareness, supported by virtual certification at TRL6 in 2028. In addition, such systems shall support the monitoring and diagnosis of assets, beyond the incident prevention functionalities.

In transition (either technical or operational) or shunting mode, automated train operation requires the development in this Destination of:

• Enabler 7: Remote driving and command, for depots, for lines with low traffic, and for fall-back operations as well as for shunting at TRL6 in 2028.

Additionally, the Destination should develop:

• Enabler 8: Autonomous route setting, on low traffic/regional networks, in terminals, in depots and in urban environment at TRL5 in 2028.
• Enabler 9: a Digital Register, acting as a central data source for, e.g. safe train positioning, ATP, TMS and DATO at TRL6 in 2028.

Capability for offering more capacity to customers

• Enabler 10: The combination of radio based ETCS with ATO is key to increase the capacity of railway lines. The development of the following enablers is therefore essential: ETCS Hybrid Train Detection and Moving block systems, taking into account aspects related to relative braking distance. Activities shall reach TRL6 for 2028 demonstration.
• Enabler 11: A fully fledged Virtual coupling, another key element to achieve shorter headways and operational flexibility, supported by enhanced connectivity and localisation, shall also be developed at TRL5, taking into account the outputs from the EU-Rail System Pillar.
• Enabler 12: This development shall also include self-driving freight wagons (supporting cooperative awareness). Activities shall reach TRL5 for the 2028 demonstration.
• Enabler 13: To maximise next generation ATC performance, a new generation of brake systems is needed to bring adjustable/configurable emergency brake control, the holding brake function and integrated adhesion management among other enhanced functionalities. This destination is expected to reach TRL6 for the 2028 demonstration.

Capability for supporting cost-effective deployment

• Enabler 14: Technology as well and the operational procedures need to be validated and tested to ensure fast and safe deployment. To this end, this destination is expected to develop novel platform and facilities for testing, validation and (virtual) certification. Developments should reach TRL 6 in 2028.

Capabilities enabling operational objectives:

The following enablers shall be developed:

• Enabler 16: Modular platform based on next generation ATC architectures, for agreed on-board and trackside modular architecture, reaching TRL6 in 2028.
• Enabler 17: Evolved onboard communication networks at TRL7 in 2028.
• Enabler 18: stable ETCS onboard supporting further end-to-end digital and automated rail operation. Activities can foresee rationalisation and consolidation of mature and generic ETCS onboard related interfaces (e.g. interface to TCMS, TIMS, localisation, ATO, FRMCS and HMI). This work should be performed in coordination with the EU-RAIL System Pillar. TRL3
• Deployment and migration strategic plans, including training and human factors.

Developments on all those enablers should also cover important preparatory works with higher TRL for the next and final set of demonstration foreseen in the Multi- annual Work programme in view of the evolutions of the solutions.

For Research & innovation and demonstrations activities (within the action) making use of data models related to the interoperability or safety of the rail system, those data models should be aligned with the ERA Ontology[[https://github.com/Interoperable-data/ERA-Ontology-3.1.0]]. This ontology defines the conceptual framework and the specific terms and relationships for the interoperability or safety of the rail system in the EU that shall be used or where relevant extended. This includes the reuse of the ERA ontology with its semantic artifacts (shacl rules, skos ..) and in cases where it is not sufficient, extensions should be proposed to maintain semantic consistency and interoperability across systems. Those extensions proposals should cover the processes to validate extension to the ERA Ontology with compliant datasets and related competency questions and linked SPARQL queries based on interoperability testbed validation tools (Interoperability Test Bed Guides — ITB Guides[[https://www.itb.ec.europa.eu/docs/guides/latest/overview/index.html]]). Corresponding documentation should also include any mappings or transformations considered in the Research & Innovation activities and any assumptions made.

Key Performance Indicators

The action shall actively contribute to measure and monitor the specific quantitative KPIs defined in the Destination description above, including its contribution to the Europe’s Rail Master Plan impacts. Outcomes are to be delivered at a calendar annual basis by each year end.

Collaboration work required with other FAs and other R&I

The action to be funded under Destination 2 shall foresee a common activity/task related to capturing specific requirements and review of system specifications relevant to the actions to be funded under Destination 5 and Destination 6.

The action to be funded under Destination 2 shall foresee a common activity/task related to the Preparatory works on the integration and pilot test(s) of the technical enablers to be provided to the actions to be funded under Destination 1, Destination 5 and Destination 6 for the demonstration to be carried out in the action to be funded by Destination 1, Destination 5 and Destination 6.

It is expected that the Flagship Project stemming from this topic will use the EU-RAIL System Pillar Cybersecurity specifications [[https://rail-research.europa.eu/horizontal-tasks/]], provide feedback to the Destination 1 Workstream 2 covering Cybersecurity and foresee adequate structure and resources for these activities.

Additionally, the project should seek for synergies and take into account the output of the EU-Rail Project NEXUS (GA number: 101177985).

Interaction with the System Pillar

The System Pillar aims to guide, support and secure the work of the Innovation Pillar (i.e. to ensure that research is targeted on commonly agreed and shared customer requirements and operational needs, compatible and aligned to the system architecture), and the Innovation Pillar will impact the scope of the System Pillar where new technologies or processes mean that innovations can drive a change in approach, as well as delivering detailed specifications and requirements.

In general for onboard demonstration work the latest ERTMS system version for the onboards should be used.

The proposal shall include specification (including drafts of new or extended subsets of the CCS TSI) and demonstration activities for the validation of the following architectural aspects, stemming from the work of System Pillar. The specification work in particular shall be closely coordinated with the System Pillar work to ensure consistency.

Architectural aspects to be considered:

• Enhanced train interface, especially for two train length information (STIP_73)
• Characteristic, application services and application communication of an onboard repository (STIP_67)
• Exchangeability of ASTP (STIP_29)
• SS- 147 for harmonized full stack (STIP_68) [perhaps already finished in WP23, phase 1]
• DMI/Multi-Display (STIP_69/70)
• Full ASTP (to be continued for clarification, if current demonstrators not already lead to an agreed solution selection)(STIP_30)
• Supervised Manoeuvres (STIP 135)
• ATO GoA 3,4 (STIP20-27)
• RTO, remote train supervision and control (STIP 28)
• Continuation of moving block demonstrator / trackside protection system according to TrafficCS requirements (STIP_102) including demonstration of digital register (STIP 8) and configuration management (STIP 7)
• Simulation of operational scenarios along results of SP OD rulebooks (STIP 2)
• Cyber security

The proposal may also include preparatory activities for the validation of those architectural elements in Phase 3 of the EU-RAIL programme. In consideration of the timing of the activities, the planning as per the STIP should be taken into account and referred to.

The proposal should allocate necessary resources that would support the above-mentioned activities.

The alignment of the activities will primarily take place during the Grant Preparation Phase and ramp up phase of the awarded proposal, and there will be continued, structured and regular interaction through the life of the project.

The EU-RAIL System Pillar is producing specifications and other relevant documents [[https://rail-research.europa.eu/v1-release/]]. In general the documents applicable to the Destination 2 should be used. If it is considered documents are not applicable, the proposals shall explain the reason(s) for not using them (to note the application of the documents may still be required by EU-RAIL). During the action to be funded under this Destination, there may be updating of the documents, including based on feedback from application in technical enablers and demonstrators. Relevant feedback should be provided on a regular basis to EU-RAIL and the System Pillar.

The action shall actively contribute to the update of the EU-Rail Standardisation and TSIs input plan (STIP) wherever relevant. Similarly, the action shall contribute to the development and implementation of EU policy and legislation including Technical Specifications for Interoperability and Common Safety Methods, as well as to publications of the System Pillar.

Interaction with other relevant actions

Work under this topic should link to relevant actions, when appropriate, financed by the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF2).

Gender dimension

In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement.

Other

It is expected that the Flagship Project stemming from this topic:

• will involve sufficient European geographical representation of academia, and ensure that all needed expertise for the described activities reflects the Special skills and/or capabilities expected from the Applicant(s) as described in the specific topic conditions.
• will be compliant with the EU Data Policy 2020 and associated legal instruments. This requires adherence to EU framework, including but not limited to: the Open Data Directive (EU) 2019/1024 and associated implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/138 on high-value data sets, the Data Governance Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/868), the Data Act (Regulation (EU) 2023/2854), and the Interoperable Europe Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/903). Ensuring compliance involves verifying that data management, processing and sharing comply with applicable EU framework.