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Precise and reliable localization as a core of railway automation (Rail 4.0)

communication and localisation formed the consortium “Smart Rail Control - SmartRaCon”:

• German Aerospace Centre (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt – DLR), Germany

• Centro de Estudios e Investigaciones Técnicas (CEIT), San Sebastián (Gipuzkoa), Spain
• Fondation de Cooperation scientific RAILENIUM, Famars, France
• Nottingham Scientific Ltd. (NSL), Nottingham, England

The vision of SmartRaCon is to realise a fail-safe, multi-sensor onboard positioning system
at minimal cost which not only provides train positioning to the ETCS kernel but also acts
as an enabler for multiple areas within the area of signalling, potentially including Traffic
Management, Train Integrity and Virtual Coupling. The objective of the consortium is to
develop the constituents of the on-board positioning system based on multi-constellation GNSS,
complemented by other positioning technologies. The activities will also include the definition
of the expected performance thanks to field-testing, certification process definition and testing
tools.
3.2 Concept and Approach

The overall concept is based on the need to ensure that the safety levels provided by existing
signalling and control systems are not compromised in the movement towards an on-board
positioning system. SmartRaCon will provide various contributions to ensure that this is
achieved. This includes setting up and undertaking test campaigns, analysing the data from such
campaigns, improving specifications, providing various inputs to the development of a safety
case, as well as other more specific contributions which build on the positioning technology
expertise within the consortium such as simulation based KPI evaluation, multiconstellation or
sensor integration, etc.

Testing processes and the route to acceptance of GNSS and associated technology will be
enhanced such that standardised methods are put in place in terms of the equipment used,
measurements made, and analysis tools and results delivery. This includes a Route Clearance
service, simulation tools for railway KPIs evaluation, Digital Route Maps (DRM) as an input
to on-board positioning systems, in terms of their utilisation, distribution and management.
Contributions will be made to the formation of a consolidated set of specifications, critically
including methodology for testing the capabilities of common-off-the-shelf equipment against
these specifications. There will be a focus on DRM technology and the Virtual Balise concept.
The need for lab simulations will be identified here and it is proposed to develop a Local
Environment Model as a specific task. Based on the outcomes of initial testing, solutions for
performance optimisation will be proposed through in-depth knowledge in the hybridisation
of GNSS with inertial sensors, odometry, dead reckoning, DRM and Wireless Communications
Technology (WCT). Further specific tasks proposed are the development of a GNSS Railway
Integrity Concept, input to the design of a Safety-Critical Railway GNSS Receiver, a Failure Modes
and Effects Analysis (FMEA), formation of a GNSS Railway Threat Model, and demonstration of
a Route Clearance service.

3.3 Expected Impact

In terms of impacts there is a target for the work to generate future business in various ways.
Work will lead to an established core of safety expertise within the consortium concerning
the use of on-board positioning technology for railway applications and this will be important
as the technology grows and improves. There is an ambition to develop a Route Clearance

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