Humatics awarded MTA contract to develop interoperable UWB train positioning

Humatics has been awarded a contract with partner Siemens worth US$14 million by the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to develop an interoperable Ultra Wideband (UWB) solution over the course of 14.5 months. This work expands on the success of the 2019 pilot project which determined the effectiveness of using UWB in conjunction with communications based train control (CBTC) systems.

This scope of work will deliver an interoperable UWB specification enabling competition, expanding the UWB ecosystem, and building the foundation for UWB to be used in revenue service in New York City.

“Humatics is pleased to work with the MTA, our pilot partner Siemens, and the broader mobility community to continue to advance next generation transit technologies,” explained Shawn Henry, Chief Executive Officer of Humatics. “Our 2019 pilot, along with other projects, has demonstrated the capabilities of UWB in train control and we’re excited to deliver interoperable UWB technology that will enable competition and promote innovation beneficial to the MTA and the New York City ridership. This project demonstrates the commitment of the MTA to UWB technologies and establishes an interoperable solution that is critical for accelerating signal modernisation.”

Upgrading the NYC subway system with UWB and CBTC technology will improve overall system reliability, availability and increase capacity which will significantly improve the passenger experience.

Humatics expects to build upon the 2019 UWB pilot success where 5.5 miles of track and four trains were outfitted with UWB technology that successfully passed train control functional testing, was deemed safety certifiable by independent assessors and is robust having accumulated over one million hours of operation. Additionally, the pilot showed UWB equipment can replace several pieces of traditional CBTC positioning equipment, and is easier to install
and maintain, reducing operating expenses.

In NYC, UWB is the primary positioning sensor used by the Humatics Rail Navigation System (HRNS), a drop-in replacement for traditional railway odometry sensors such as tachometers, transponders, and doppler radars. The HRNS is the industry leading navigation system based on sensor fusion algorithms that leverage the right sensors to solve challenging navigation problems. UWB along with sensors such as Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) are fused together to provide incredibly precise position, speed, and acceleration data to train control systems such as CBTC, Positive Train Control (PTC), and the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS).

Backed by a 30-year legacy in Ultra Wideband, Humatics continues to promote the capabilities and standardisation of UWB. Humatics collaborates with industry leading organisations and consortiums such as FiRa, IEEE, and the UWB Alliance, helping shape the vision and future of UWB technology and its broader applications while advocating for further use in mobility applications.