Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Alstom have completed a test of remote driving technology for a commuter train in a depot environment. This marks the first customer-operated deployment of its kind on a mainline S-Bahn train in Germany.
The trial took place in Munich on a works track and involved a commuter train being driven from a Remote Operation Centre rather than from the cab. The test forms part of a DB project exploring how remote shunting operations could be used to support depot activities.
Remote driving
© Alstom
Alstom’s system allows the driver’s desk to be replicated at a remote workstation in a control centre. The technology is intended to support the further digitalisation of depot movements, with the aim of improving the speed and efficiency of shunting operations.
The solution has been developed with an industrial application in mind and uses a generic driving interface designed to be compatible with different train types. In Munich, the system operated over a DB 5G campus network. In such environments, remote driving could reduce the need for staff to walk long distances within depots and allow shunting movements to be carried out more efficiently.
Harmen van Zijderveld, DB Group Board Member for Regional Transport said:
Shunting trains by remote control can reduce the workload for our employees and significantly speed up processes in our depots. In just four months, we have put the test system on the rails: from the local 5G network to the control centre and the technology in the train. This proves that technical innovations can also be realised with existing vehicles.
To connect the train to the Remote Operation Centre, Alstom has developed an adaptable architecture that links legacy train control and management systems with a standardised interface for remote operation. This approach allows control and status information from older vehicles to be accessed remotely. Additional cameras and sensors were installed on the test train to provide the remote operator with the necessary situational awareness during shunting movements.
Alstom states that the technology could be applied to both existing fleets and new trains. It is designed to be compatible with several Alstom train series used in Germany, including the BR423, BR430, BR442, BR490 and BR1440.
Aymeric Sarrazin, President Digital & Integrated Systems, Alstom said:
This technology brings the driver’s desk to the operator in the control centre and streamlines every movement in the depot. We value the collaboration with Deutsche Bahn and their confidence to implement this test deployment with us.
The demonstration represents a step towards the potential development of a future prototype and provides further insight into how digitally enabled depot operations could be implemented on a wider scale.