Redefining rail transportation: The Europe’s Rail (EU-Rail) technology initiative is one of the main pillars of the European Union’s Horizon Europe innovation program (running from 2021 to 2027). Aiming to speed up the shift from road to rail, the initiative supports a wide range of mobility-focused innovations. To achieve this goal, the major players in Europe’s rail industry are pooling their respective areas of expertise.
The EU-Rail technology initiative is valued at just over one billion euros, of which the European Union (EU) is contributing 600 million euros. The various companies involved are contributing almost the same amount again. Together with ten major network and rail operators, 13 manufacturers – including Knorr-Bremse – and two research companies are developing a whole series of digital, green solutions for rail, from initial concepts right through to practical demonstrators.
Whereas EU-Rail’s predecessor, Shift2Rail, focused primarily on developing rail vehicles, along with their subsystems and infrastructure, EU-Rail is concentrating on digitalization, automation and connectivity at every level of rail-related operations. Knorr-Bremse is involved in five of the initiative’s six innovation clusters – known as Flagship Areas.
Contact
Hans-Christian Hilse Innovation Partnerships
80809 München
Deutschland - Germany
Hans-Christian.Hilse@knorr-bremse.com
As one of 25 founding members of the new Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking technology initiative, Knorr-Bremse is making a proactive contribution to redefining the future of rail transportation by focusing on five Flagship Areas: Autonomous Train Operations, rail freight of the future, green sustainable solutions, intelligent and integrated asset management, and life cycle management.
Martin Ertl – Vice President Innovation at Knorr-Bremse Rail Vehicle Systems
From road to rail: Knorr-Bremse’s involvement in five Flagship Areas
To build a foundation for ongoing innovation, EU-Rail’s founding members will join together to form consortia in various constellations via an open-call mechanism, submitting applications for tendered innovation projects in joint ventures with other partners in the EU. Knorr-Bremse will concentrate its resources and investment in five Flagship Areas.
The project will pave the way towards the implementation of the future European Rail Traffic Management System to make rail the backbone of a multimodal transport system for passengers and freight by focusing on Planning, Operation, Integration activities and on digital enablers.
The project will take the advantages of digitalization and automation to develop the Next Generation ATC and deliver scalable Digital and Automatic (up to Autonomous) Train Operation (DATO) capabilities.
The project aims to reinforce the next generation of Intelligent and Integrated Rail Asset Management providing and demonstrating innovative solutions covering fixed and rolling stock assets, minimizing the life cycle costs of assets and extend their lifetime.
The project is covering the Sustainable and green rail systems with decarbonization of Diesel trains, noise and vibration reduction, energy savings, circular economy, resource consumption, resilience to climate change and pandemic attack, attractiveness of passenger trains at the hearth of the project.