OBJECTIVES

The certification of train control systems that comply with the ERTMS standard, which incorporates EGNSS technologies to localize trains, is critical, time-consuming, yet essential to bridge the current gaps preventing the adoption of EGNSS for highly regulated rail safety-critical applications. Conversely, numerous projects and studies conducted over the past decade, funded by EUSPA, ESA and Shift2Rail, have demonstrated significant benefits from utilizing EGNSS infrastructures and enhancing ERTMS efficiency, both of which are key components of the European industrial policy. Additionally, EGNSS-based train positioning can accelerate the ERTMS roll-out in Europe and improve its competitiveness globally, especially against the PTC system that already uses GNSS technology in the USA.

VICE4RAIL will focus on two interlinked key: identifying appropriate certification procedures to enable the use of EGNSS, and constructing a dedicated reference testing environment based on the near zero-on-site testing paradigm to support the validation and certification process.

Particularly, VICE4RAIL will design and develop a Hybrid Virtualized Testing Certification Environment, HyVICE, capable to assess the performance of different customized train position and velocity determination systems integrating the GNSS technologies and to verify the compliance to the ERTMS/ETCS standard of the whole system, with respect to accuracy and integrity requirements. The system will be able to operate independently of the specific technology used for the train localization by the signalling system provider.

This architecture will flexibly evolve to test, validate, and certify innovative products and services as new EGNSS features are introduced by EUSPA and new ERTMS specifications are set by the rail community.