The Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking is working toward a harmonised and more efficient European railway system through automation and digitalisation. Within FP2 R2DATO, several industry partners (Hitachi, Alstom, DB, SBB, ÖBB, etc.) are developing a demonstrator for a future traffic control and supervision system based on a new geometric, train-oriented safety logic. Unlike today’s fixed-point-based safety systems (signals, marker boards), this approach authorizes train movements dynamically, without predefined points, simplifying planning, reducing engineering effort, and potentially increasing capacity. The system also allows multiple trains to use the same track circuit when integrity monitoring is available.

The demonstrator, tested at DB’s digital testbed in the Ore Mountains (Germany), is built around three components: a digital register (data storage/distribution), a plan execution system (converting timetables into movement requests), and the European Trackside Protection System (safety core granting or rejecting movement permissions). Hitachi provides the plan execution system and and the European Trackside Protection System.

Both simulation and field tests are used. Simulation enables early, cost-efficient, and automated testing, while field tests validate functionalities that cannot be simulated, such as real-world radio communication (FMRCS) and switch control. Two test vehicles equipped with ETCS onboard units are used.

The results demonstrate that the new architecture and safety logic work reliably in real-world conditions and can increase capacity by enabling operations at absolute braking distances, contributing to a more efficient and modern European railway system.

The EU-funded FP2-R2DATO project is developing remote-operated and fully autonomous train technologies to make European railways greener, safer and more efficient. Partners from 12 countries are testing digital systems that improve capacity and streamline operations without building new infrastructure.

Trials in Norway, the Netherlands and Switzerland have successfully demonstrated remote-driven trams and trains. The next step involves fully autonomous operations using an advanced perception system—the “eyes of the train”—to detect obstacles and make driving decisions.

The project also aims to harmonise Europe’s fragmented railway systems to enable smooth cross-border travel. Researchers are testing innovations such as Moving Block technology, which increases network capacity by allowing trains to run closer together, and satellite-based positioning to enhance rail safety systems like ERTMS.

Supported by Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, these developments are expected to transform European railways over the next decade, making rail transport more reliable, efficient and sustainable.

Link of Horizon Europe Article: On the right track: driving innovation in European rail travel | Horizon Magazine

ERTMS in the Nordic Countries

ERTMS as enabler for future improvements

28 August 2025

Presented by Léa Paties

The 1^st International Symposium on Software Fault Prevention, Verification, and Validation

2 ~ 3 December 2024 – Hiroshima, Japan

This paper introduces SafePAM (Safety Promise Assessment Method), an iterative method to formally model cooperation and conditional dependencies between interdependent subsystems in railway safety. It builds on STPA (a system-theoretic hazard analysis) and uses promise theory to better reflect real-world conditions. Unlike traditional methods, SafePAM allows conditional dependencies without assuming independence. A railway case study shows how this approach helps connect domain-specific knowledge with system behavior, enabling better validation by experts and maintaining overall system safety.

This first newsletter brings together all the latest updates from the project.

For your information, a new edition will be published ahead of each SIPB meeting to share progress and key developments.

The Europe’s Rail FP2 R2DATO project is developing cutting-edge technologies to enhance digitalisation and automation in the rail sector, aiming to improve safety, flexibility, capacity, and cost-efficiency. These innovations are applicable across all rail segments, including urban light rail.

Within R2DATO, partners CAF and SVT are demonstrating remote control and autonomous shunting functionalities using two modified SL18 trams at the Holtet depot in Oslo. The remote operation allows an operator to control the tram from a compact desk, streamlining activities such as startup, functional tests, maintenance shunting, and shutdown without needing to be physically on board.

The system builds upon results from previous projects (X2Rail-4, TAURO, CONNECTA) and uses video streaming technologies. It is designed to work even when ATO or ATP systems are faulty, ensuring safety through self-protection features managed by the TCMS.

The next phase of the project will focus on demonstrating full autonomous tram operation in depots by the end of R2DATO.

Video review of these two days of events

As part of the FP2-R2DATO project under Europe’s Rail, Knorr-Bremse, Deutsche Bahn, and DB Systemtechnik have successfully conducted advanced tests on brake systems and wheel/rail adhesion management aboard the TrainLab. The focus was on improving safety and efficiency for future driverless operations, especially under low adhesion conditions like in autumn.

Key innovations include optimized braking algorithms, improved wheel slide protection, smart sand application strategies, and real-time adhesion monitoring. Data collected can also support infrastructure maintenance and better traffic planning.

These tests mark a major step toward automated rail operations and increased network capacity, while exploring simulation-based testing for future developments.

Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking (ERJU), Rail to Digital up to ATO (R2DATO) aims to demonstrate the contribution of specific technologies to innovation in rail signalling systems. The ‘modelling techniques’ working group aims to demonstrate the contribution of these approaches in ATO (Automatic Train Operation) use cases.

Although widely deployed in urban networks, train automation according to the European ATO standard remains underdeveloped in the context of heavy trains, despite ongoing projects, encouraged by its inclusion in the technical specifications of the European train control system. Modelling and simulation tools play a key role not only in verifying the consistency and completeness of the standards, but also in obtaining a vision of the system that is shared by all the players involved.

In the context of train automation, these tools are also useful for estimating the gains made by the ATO system, which are only partially assessed at present.

Various modelling techniques are presented as part of this work: control command algorithms, co-simulation, 3D environment modelling, development security and artificial intelligence.
Another objective of this work is to quantify the energy savings achievable with a GoA2 ATO using a model-based approach, in line with European standards. A simulator has been developed using Matlab/Simulink and includes an ATO model inspired by the scientific literature. The ATO generates an energy-optimal speed profile extracted from a graph representing a set of profiles with travel time and energy consumption parameters. The optimal profile is tracked using a predictive controller (MPC). The train’s automatic driving performance was then compared with that of manual driving in the field, including with the assistance of a DAS.

This simulator was used to estimate an energy saving thanks to ATO compared with manual driving.

This document places the FP2-R2DATO project in the broader context of EU-Rail, a European initiative aimed at harmonising and digitalising the rail system via two pillars: the System Pillar and the Innovation Pillar.

This document presents the work carried out as part of the FP2-R2DATO project, which focuses on the development of rail automation technologies up to GoA4 level (Automatic Train Operation without driver).
The aim is to increase the performance, safety and responsiveness of the European rail system through a modular architecture including automatic driving, perception and telecontrol modules.