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Bosch presents new assistance system rail forward assist for railway

More safety in rail transportation

  • Modular approach with tailored solutions for local public transport, shunting operations, and maintenance vehicles of the yellow fleet
  • New collision warning system rail forward assist enables seamless monitoring of the area in front of the railway vehicle
  • Innovative technology for automating rail transportation
Cornelia Dürr

Cornelia Dürr

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Cornelia Dürr

Cornelia Dürr
Spokesperson for Bosch Engineering GmbH, motorsports

Abstatt – While trains are one of the safest means of transport in Germany, even rail transportation is not entirely free of accidents. According to the German Federal Statistical Office, 490 accidents involving personal injury occurred on the nation’s railways in 2022 alone. The new assistance system rail forward assist from Bosch Engineering ensures greater safety in rail transportation and thus helps to further reduce the number of accidents. In urban areas, the company has offered a collision warning system for trams since 2017. “With rail forward assist, we are now transferring the successful concept to railway. The application areas of the collision warning system are local public transport, shunting operations, and track maintenance vehicles,” explains Heiko Mangold, head of rail technology at Bosch Engineering. The modular assistance system consists of a control unit and various sensors, which ensure seamless monitoring of the area in front of the rail vehicle. The sensor cluster employed depends on the specific use case and can comprise camera, radar, LiDAR, and ultrasonic modules.

Mainline and urban forward assist for urban traffic

For metro, urban, -suburban, and regional trains, the mainline and urban forward assist system monitors not only the area in front of the rail vehicle but also the platform environment. The system warns of obstacles on the track as well as dangerous situations at rail stations. It also offers signal detection and a braking assist function. It thereby reduces the risk of accidents in station areas and prevents disruptions to operations due to missed signals or incorrect stopping at stations.

Shunting forward assist

Shunting operations are particularly challenging for rail personnel since, for their own protection, they must remain aware of railway activity on parallel tracks while also carrying out their actual shunting tasks.Shunting forward assist supports shunting personnel by warning of obstacles in the track area, such as incorrectly parked wagons, and of impending collisions due to incorrectly set switches. The system also features coupling assist and signal detection functions as well as an overhead catenary assist for locomotives with hybrid powertrains. The resulting benefits include significant mental and psychological relief for personnel, increased safety, fewer personal injuries, less property damage, and prevention of costly overhead wire damage.

Maintenance vehicle forward assist

Construction and maintenance measures often require work to be carried in the area of the tracks. During such activities, maintenance personnel are under particular pressure to ensure both their own safety and operational reliability. This is where the maintenance vehicle forward assist system provides welcome support with its monitoring of the environment. The system protects persons by detecting and warning of obstacles in the track area, impending collisions with incorrectly parked wagons in rail switch areas, and damage to the overhead catenary. It thus ensures better situational awareness, which allows personnel to focus on their construction and maintenance tasks, and reduces the risk of both personal injury and property damage.

On the path towards full automation

The rail forward assist system from Bosch Engineering is based on a robust multisensor concept and is tailored to the specific requirements of the rail sector. It is also certified according to EN 50155 and EN 50128. The system’s modular design enables flexible use in different rail segments, both for customer-specific use cases and in special applications. Initial pilot projects for the surround sensing function in the rail sector have been implemented with great success. “With our expertise and technologies, we want to play a key role in driving the complex automation of rail transportation. We are thus edging ever closer to the long-term vision of fully automated, highly connected, and thus more efficient and safer rail traffic,” adds Mangold. Initial steps toward full automation are being made in low-speed applications. These include the automation of train preparation as well as fully automated shunting operations.

Further information: https://www.bosch-engineering.com/industries/rail/railway/

Mobility is the largest Bosch Group business sector. In 2023, its sales came to 56.2 billion euros, or just under 60 percent of total Group sales. This makes the Bosch Group one of the leading mobility suppliers. Bosch Mobility pursues a vision of mobility that is safe, sustainable, and exciting. For its customers, the outcome is integrated mobility solutions. The business sector’s main areas of activity are electrification, software and services, semiconductors and sensors, vehicle computers, advanced driver assistance systems, systems for vehicle dynamics control, repair-shop concepts, as well as technology and services for the automotive aftermarket. Bosch is synonymous with important automotive innovations, such as electronic engine management, the ESP anti-skid system, and common-rail diesel technology.

About Bosch Engineering GmbH
Bosch Engineering GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH and is head-quartered in Abstatt, Germany. As a systems development partner to the automotive industry since 1999, the company with its more than 3,300 associates offers development services for powertrains, safety and convenience systems, and electrical and electronic systems – from the original concept to series production. Specialized in electronics and software, it draws on Bosch’s proven large-scale series production technology to develop tailored solutions for a wide variety of applications in passenger cars, commercial vehicles, off-highway and recreational vehicles, and in rail applications, ships, and industry. Bosch Engineering GmbH also coordinates all the Bosch Group’s motorsports activities. Additional information can be accessed at www.bosch-engineering.com.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 429,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2023). The company generated sales of 91.6 billion euros in 2023. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. With its business activities, the company aims to use technology to help shape universal trends such as automation, electrification, digitalization, connectivity, and an orientation to sustainability. In this context, Bosch’s broad diversification across regions and industries strengthens its innovativeness and robustness. Bosch uses its proven expertise in sensor technology, software, and services to offer customers cross-domain solutions from a single source. It also applies its expertise in connectivity and artificial intelligence in order to develop and manufacture user-friendly, sustainable products. With technology that is “Invented for life,” Bosch wants to help improve quality of life and conserve natural resources. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 470 subsidiary and regional companies in over 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. Bosch’s innovative strength is key to the company’s further development. At 136 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 90,000 associates in research and development, of which nearly 48,000 are software engineers.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com.

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