DB Systemtechnik, together with educational institutions, is collaborating on research, development, and testing activities for the innovation lab for automated driving built in Minden, Germany. It is scheduled to begin operations in 2027.
The Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences (TH OWL), Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Bielefeld University are the institutions that will participate alongside DB Systemtechnik to jointly test and apply innovative solutions and technologies for fully and partially automated train operation.
“Automated driving is an important field of the future for sustainable mobility. It can only thrive through collaboration between industry and science. The Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences is contributing its entire expertise to the Minden Innovation Lab and is grateful to have strong partners on board,” said Professor Dr. Jürgen Krahl, President of the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences.
The innovation lab will be used to carry out automated, reproducible, and realistic tests that will enable the qualification and approval of various perception systems, such as sensor systems. These systems form the basis for the automatic operation of trains, as they are responsible, for example, for monitoring the track and passenger flow. The universities contribute crucial expertise in control, sensor, and automation technologies. DB Systemtechnik has extensive experience in railway operation and vehicle engineering.
In order to comprehensively test the relevant systems, the innovation lab will be equipped with research and testing facilities that can simulate realistic movements of passengers, bicycles, or animals, among other things. Various environmental and weather conditions can also be reproduced, including snow, fog, rain, and different lighting conditions. The common goal is to create a platform that enables long-term knowledge transfer and innovative projects.
The innovation lab for automated driving is scheduled to open by 2027. It is part of the project “Testing ATO [Automatic Train Operation] Construction of an Innovation Lab for Automated Driving.” It is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) with approximately EUR 11.5 million as part of the “German Center for Future Mobility” (DZM). The innovation lab is being built at the DB Systemtechnik site in Minden, which is also responsible for building the infrastructure. The OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, and Bielefeld University will each purchase and install a test facility.
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