Impact

The global ambition of Shift2Rail is to contribute to a more competitive and resource-efficient European Transport system. In particular, GATE4Rail will contribute to the following Shift2Rail Technical Demonstrators:
 

  • TD 2.4 Fail-safe train positioning system
  • TD 2.6 Zero on-site testing
The GATE4Rail project will merge both TDs by connecting laboratories for GNSS behaviour testing with other ones for testing ETCS real equipment both on-board and trackside. It will be the first project in the world to connect these facilities, and thus allowing to reach a very ambitious goal of implementing a simulation and verification infrastructure, including not only the whole ETCS but also the GNSS with global and local hazards, able to evaluate the global system performance.


Impact in the topicIn the project
The introduction of GNSS in railway system as a new technology for a fail-safe train positioning system is expected to increase line capacity, reduce installation (CAPEX) and maintenance costs (OPEX) for the application of ERTMS to new railway segments.
  • Increase the know-how on GNSS characterization in the railway environment considering the different market segments
  • Develop testing tools in order to reduce experimentation costs and time to market
Regarding the work stream 1
Achieve a realistic characterization of the railway environment in terms of railway and GNSS infrastructure able to evaluate performances and properties of some fail-safe positioning components with respect to normal and specific failure conditions
  • Increase the know-how on GNSS behaviour in the railway environment, its modelling and the simulation of fault (multipath and interferences)
  • Develop GNSS simulation tools capable of simulating global and local faults in train positioning algorithms and their end impact on VB detection
Simplify the analysis of the pros/cons for the GNSS application according to the different lines characteristics and market segment
  • Contribute to the definition of the applicability of GNSS according to the characteristics of line (regional, urban, sub-urban, freight, high-speed) and railway local environment taking into account SIL-4 requirements and different railway operational phases (Movement Authority, Staff Responsible and Start of Mission)
Set-up of a geographical and distributed infrastructure able to verify and take advantage from the results of the existing laboratories.
  • Define over Europe a geo-distributed simulation and verification infrastructure (first in the world) connecting GNSS and railway different modules, together with the latest technological evolutions, and able to evaluate the performance of the complete chain and the end-effect of GNSS on VB detection
Regarding the work stream 2
The development of a zero-on-site testing environment. Need for a simulation architecture capable of staying in line with the latest evolutions (software and hardware) and avoid unused due to obsolescence.
  • Definition and implementation of a dedicated MSBE approach to ensure the development of a Geo-Distributed Simulation and Verification Infrastructure definition, design, development and testing
Reduce costs and improve efficiency for testing technologies and their evolutions and for planning maintenance and replacement activities on the line.
  • Definition and implementation of a methodology and tools for assuring automatic test repetition and analysis of their results
  • The MBSE approach will ensure that the system can be easily upgraded to stay up-to-date, will increase the efficiency of test resources management, and reduce the need of real lab equipment due to acquisition, maintenance
Contribution of the necessary safety integrity level
  • The simulation infrastructure will allow simulating rare events, as well as various configurations encountered in the railway operational environment. It will allow characterizing the safety level of a solution with large data sets that could not be obtained by experimentation
  • The methods and tools for test environment and needed upgrades implementation will be defined taking into account a set of common requirements for notified body approval
Performing tests of innovative products and services using up-to-date simulation environment in order to support new (type) approval processes or even a harmonised European approval process in the context of control, command and signalling systems.
  • Definition of methodology and tools for upgrading the test environment, as well as the test candidate approvable by an independent safety assessor