Collision Avoidance, Virtual Coupling of Trains, Autonomous Trains - Novel Train Localization Methods for Next Generation Railways

Although rail transport is mostly a very safe and highly energy-efficient means of transport, road transport is the main mode of transport. In EU-27, 76% of all goods and 83% of all passengers are transported on roads. To shift more traffic to rail, the railroads of the future must become more attractive and competitive by implementing innovations in both rolling stock and infrastructure. Hence, academia and industry are researching new applications such as collision avoidance, virtual coupling of trains, and autonomous driving trains. Key technologies for these applications are radio communications and train localization. This talk will present the current state of the art in radio communications for trains and in train localization, and provide insights into research in these areas. Special attention will be given to the accurate, reliable and redundant localization of trains