SMART2 project built on the results achieved in previous Shift2Rail project SMART by advancement, innovation and implementation of SMART2 on-board long-range all-weather obstacle detection (OD) and track intrusion detection (TID) sub-system. The SMART2 on-board sub-system is complemented with two new sub-systems to build a holistic OD&TID system. These new sub-systems are advanced SMART2 trackside (TS) and UAV (drone)-based OD&TID systems. All three sub-systems are integrated into a holistic OD&TID system via interfaces to Decision Support System (DSS). A holistic approach to autonomous obstacle detection for railways enables increased detection area including areas behind a curve, slope, tunnels and other elements blocking the train’s view on the rail tracks, in addition to a straight rail-tracks OD. The data recorded by the sensors of each of three OD&TID sub-systems are processed to inform DSS about possible obstacles and track intrusions in their fields of view. DSS integrates information coming from three OD&TID sub-systems and makes final decision on OD&TID that could be used for different purposes such as future decision on train control. SMART2 platform is flexible and open for interfacing additional OD&TID modules based on future technologies.
SMART2 project developed a working prototype of the holistic OD&TID that was evaluated in different real-world railway use-case scenarios (TRL 6/7) demonstrating the benefit of having three OD&TID sub-systems, on-board, trackside and UAV-based. By development of this advanced innovative solution for OD&TID system, SMART2 contributes to competitiveness, efficiency, and operational reliability of railway traffic through the OD and TID automation necessary for Grade of Automation (GoA) 3/4 operation.
The integrated holistic SMART2 OD&TID system was tested in two dynamic field tests conducted respectively in June 2022 and August 2022 in operational railway environment on a test site in Serbia. The June 2022 field tests served for functional testing of individual components as well as of fully integrated system. The August 2022 field tests served for the final evaluation of SMART2 holistic OD&TID system. Analysis of the achieved results of the evaluation conducted in relevant railway environment leads to conclusion that SMART2 OD&TID system detect objects and potential obstacles in a complementary manner using all three sub-systems enlarging so the detection distance range significantly. The total length of the covered evaluation test track was almost 5 km, which proves that SMART2 demonstrator can detect obstacles at a range greater than 2 km, which was one of the main requirements for the SMART2 project as such long-range obstacle detection is specific for obstacle detection in railways and it is crucial for railway safety.
