Alstom's autonomous driving pilot project in Germany enters next phase
Alstom's pilot project for autonomous train operation in Germany is advancing with new phase, involving collaboration with research institutes and regional transport authorities.
Alstom has entered the next phase of its pilot project focused on developing autonomous driving technology for regional passenger trains in Germany. The initiative, conducted in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and TU Berlin, aims to digitize rail transport and explore the potential for automated train operation (ATO) using the European Train Control System (ETCS).
The project's initial phase involves developing new systems for driverless operation. These include signal recognition for interpreting railway traffic signals and obstacle detection. In case of malfunctions, trains can be remotely controlled or guided by onboard attendants. Alstom has previously demonstrated the technical feasibility of automated driving and remote train control through test runs in other countries.
The research is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the state of Lower Saxony's Ministry of Economics. The latter has provided €5.5 million to equip two regional trains for the trials. The project seeks to determine if existing regulations for ATO can be adapted and to gather data proving safety standards for automated passenger operation.
The second phase will see the new systems installed on two LNVG (Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen) regional units, already equipped with ETCS. These trains will operate under real-world conditions as a "living lab" to collect data on both development and operational aspects, facilitating future approval processes for fully automated trains.