Presentation

With the digitalisation of transport services, train localisation in real time has become increasingly important for the European railway sector and the European travelers. Currently, the position of the train for signalling purposes is based on trackside equipment such as track circuits or axle counters, which are mounted devices at specific intervals along the railway track. Using GNSS could prove a game-changer for the European railway network.

What’s GNSS?  
The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is a constellation of satellites providing signals from space that transmit positioning and timing data to receivers that use this data to determine location. This term includes e.g. the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou and other regional systems. For the European railway network, GNSS could pave the way for improved localisation performance and notably the European rail will benefit from the use of the European satellite navigation Galileo system (E-GNSS) to compute accurate position of the trains. Also, the use of the regional augmentation system EGNOS v3 will bring the necessary reliability to the train navigator unit.  
 

What’s the CLUG Project?  
The #CLUGProject - meaning "Certifiable Localisation Unit with GNSS"- is a 2 year project (starting January 2020) gathering a large and complete consortium of different partners comprising railway companies (SNCF, DB NETZ and SBB), railway signalling industries (CAF and Siemens), navigation specialists (Airbus Defense and Space, Naventik, FDC), a research institute (ENAC) and a certification expert (Navcert). It builds on the use of GNSS coupled with other sensors (such as IMU and odometer) to provide a continuous and accurate train localisation that could be integrated in the future European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS).

The EU-funded #CLUGProject will assess the creation of a failsafe on-board localisation unit, with the 4 following characteristics: 

  • A failsafe on-board multi-sensors localisation unit consisting of a navigation core (IMU, tachometer, etc.) brought in reference using GNSS, track map and a minimal number of reference points
  • An on-board continuous localisation system that provides location, speed and other dynamics of the train
  • It will be operational and interoperable across the entire European rail network
  • It will be compatible with the current ERTMS TSI or with its future evolutions
     

How it could prove a game-changer for the European railway network?  
By enabling a significant reduction of trackside equipment – also meaning less fragile and vulnerable equipment - and by improving localisation performance, the #CLUGProject could prove a game-changer for the European railway network. Ultimately, this project is the key enabling technology for the future-proof development of train digitalisation and automation. Efficiency, punctuality and safety, this future train technology will respond to the increased mobility needs of all European travelers and offer them an improved customer experience.  

Main objectives of the project

Visuel
Mission requirements and definition.

A “top down” approach establishes needs, objectives, and top-level functional and performance requirements of the train localization unit

Visuel
Architecture definition and algorithm prototype development

Identification system concepts that meet the requirements that have previously been defined + analysis of the current and future EGNSS

Visuel
Development of process and tools for certification of localisation unit

Initial development of tools and processes for the qualification and certification of a train localisation unit 

Visuel
Demonstration of the feasibility of a multi-sensor approach

Test prototyped architecture and algorithms in various modes to determine whether requirements are supported using real world data

Overall structure of the workplan

The project has been structured around 5 work packages as shown in the table below
WP1
Project Mangement and Coordination

to ensure the coordination between consortium members and across activities; to manage the administrative issues of the project 

WP2
Mission Definition and System Requirements

to define the system needs, the operational scenarios and the high-level system requirements

WP3
Localisation System Design

 to elaborate a Localisation System design following a system engineering 

WP4
Testing and evaluation

to test and evaluate the performance of localisation solutions consisting of different receivers and sensors, combined by fusion algorithms, using real world data 

WP5
Application to the train Localisation System

to exploit, summarise, disseminate and communicate the project outcomes 

Workplan-schema

The differents steps of the project

December
2019

Project kick off

July
2020

Data collection platform validation on the test train

Test plan definition

November
2020

High level mission and system requirements

Beginning of the measurement campaign(s)

September
2021

Analysis tool validation

Architecture & design definition including fusion and integrity algorithms

January
2022

Test results evaluation versus design

Evaluation of EGNSS for rail

May
2022

CLUG Final Results

Final event

Partners

SNCF

SNCF

SNCF missions? To simplify your journeys, to make the transport of people and goods more fluid and to develop the mobility of tomorrow. To meet these challenges, SNCF is organised around a parent company and SNCF Réseau, SNCF Gares & Connexions, Rail Logistics Europe, SNCF Voyageurs, Geodis and Keolis.

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CAF

CAF

CAF is a multinational group with over 100 years of experience in the supply of comprehensive transit solutions positioned at the forefront of technology for high value added sustainable mobility. The company is a leader of the railway industry offering one of the most comprehensive and flexible arrays of products in railway related markets, such as rolling stock, components, infrastructure, signalling and services (maintenance, refurbishing and financial services).
 

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Airbus Defense & Space

Airbus Defense & Space

"Airbus Defence and Space is one of the three Divisions of the Airbus Group and Europe’s Number 1 defence
and space company. Comprised of three business lines – Military Aircraft, Space Systems and Communication, Intelligence and Security (CIS) – Airbus brings together a wide portfolio to meet the complex needs of its customers, contribute to nations’ defence and security, and secure Europe’s sovereign and independent access to and utilisation of space."
"Airbus Defence and Space is one of the three Divisions of the Airbus Group and Europe’s Number 1 defence
and space company. Comprised of three business lines – Military Aircraft, Space Systems and Communication, Intelligence and Security (CIS) – Airbus brings together a wide portfolio to meet the complex needs of its customers, contribute to nations’ defence and security, and secure Europe’s sovereign and independent access to and utilisation of space."
 

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ENAC

ENAC

L’Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC) or French Civil Aviation University is a public institution under the supervision of the French Ministry of transport. Its mission is to provide ab-initio and further training for the executives and main players of the civil aviation world and do research in a variety of air transport related domains. ENAC Research Lab is organised in academic teams of research: Optimisation and Machine learning, Data Economics and Visualization, Telecom, Interactive Computing, a set of transversal
programs to monitor applied research: Safety and security, Sustainable development and Drones and two platforms Aeronautical Computer Human Interaction Lab (ACHIL) and the UAS Flying Arena.

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NAVENTIK

NAVENTIK

The mission of NAVENTIK: Enabling Satellite Navigation for Automated driving. Established in 2017 as a Startup company from Chemnitz University of Technology, NAVENTIK is providing GNSS solutions for safety-critical applications. The NAVENTIK founding team is composed of tech enthusiasts and disruptive business experts.

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NavCert

NavCert

NavCert was founded as a Joint Venture between TÜV Süd and OECON in 2006. Since 2012 NavCert is a 100% subsidiary of the OECON Holding GmbH.
NavCert is a technical service provider offering technical and strategic consulting as well as certification. It's core business activities are within the fields of positioning, navigation and timing and respective applications.
NavCert guarantees high quality and reliability under a strong logo combined with extensive application and market know-how in the area of GNSS and ubiquitous localization technology.

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GSA

GSA

Space is the new technological revolution and it is changing the way we live, work  and play. GSA’s core mission is to ensure that European Citizens get the most out of Europe’s satellite navigation programmes. The GSA’s mission is to support European Union objectives and achieve the highest return on European GNSS investment, in terms of benefits to users and economic growth and competitiveness

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DB

DB

"Deutsche Bahn AG (DB) is the leading mobility and logistics service provider in Germany. Over the past few years, the DB Group has developed, step by step, into a leading international mobility and logistics service provider.
The Group provides services in three major divisions:
• ensures mobility for its customers in long-distance, regional, urban, and freight transport,
• provides logistics services worldwide, and
• operates the track infrastructure and offers transport- related services
DB Netz AG is the railway infrastructure manager of Deutsche Bahn AG.It is responsible for the approximately 33,300 kilometre long rail network, including all operationally necessary installations. An average of 40,000 trains are using DB Netz AG’s infrastructure per day."
 

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SBB CFF FFS

SBB CFF FFS

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) is Switzerland’s national train company and largest transport company. The Swiss are European champions in rail travel: In 2017, the satisfied demand was at 19 bn passenger kilometers, that means each Swiss covered approx. 2300 km by rail. The SBB Group is made up of the five divisions Passenger, Freight (SBB Cargo), Infrastructure, Real Estate and IT.

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FDC

FDC

FDC is an independent consultancy and engineering company specialised in the field of Space applications and security, based in Vincennes, France. Through the support provided to the European Commission and its Agencies since the very early stages of the two flagship Space programmes of the European Union, FDC has acquired a recognised knowledge of both Copernicus and the European GNSS programmes Galileo and EGNOS. Over the last three decades, FDC has been strongly involved in about 150 EC support and R&D projects related
to GNSS, and has successfully coordinated more than half of them.

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SIEMENS

SIEMENS

"Siemens Mobility GmbH (headquartered in Berlin) is the 100% owned mobility branch of Siemens AG, a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the industry, energy and healthcare
sectors.
Since pioneering electric traction for railways in the 19th century, Siemens Mobility has been a leader in transport solutions for more than 160 years.
Siemens Mobility is constantly innovating its portfolio in its core areas of rolling stock, rail automation, electrification, turnkey systems, intelligent traffic systems as well as related services for both mainline and mass-transit railways."

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