Hitachi Rail and HyperloopTT complete proof of concept for cloud based ERTMS signalling system

Hitachi Rail and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) have achieved an important milestone towards the commercial running of an innovative system that will be able to run at speeds of up to 1,200km/h, thanks to the completion of a proof of concept for a cloud based ERTMS signalling system for HyperloopTT’s capsules.

Working from Hitachi Rail’s site in Naples, Italy, the partnership has successfully created a digital simulator that allows for the integrated testing of the traffic management, the signalling and some of the physical safety requirements of the hyperloop system and is now developing an interface with HTT’s simulators for functional integration.

In partnership with @hyperlooptt, we have achieved an important milestone towards the commercial running of the innovative system, with the completion of proof of concept for a cloud-based ERTMS signalling system for Hyperloop 🚄🚦➡️ https://t.co/5NEHgsIpxi pic.twitter.com/Kmq2FTFzzY

— Hitachi Rail (ENG) (@HitachiRailENG) June 23, 2022

By replacing the capabilities of complex physical equipment with cloud-based software, the solution offers greater reliability, greater flexibility in deployment, cuts maintenance costs and is more sustainable.

The partnership is based the system on ERTMS and ETCS L2 (European Train Control System Level 2) signalling technology to simulate the regulation and control of capsules moving at very high speeds. ERTMS has the benefit of being used and recognised internationally, making it highly interoperable.

Having completed the simulation model, the next step in the process would be to digitally integrate both the signalling infrastructure and the cloud-based model for the physical capsules. This would open the door to moving to physical testing of the whole system at HyperloopTT’s test track in Toulouse.

“Hitachi Rail is committed to pioneering new digital mobility technologies,” Leonardo Impagliazzo, Chief Director of Innovation for Hitachi Rail, said. “Our digital signalling technology is used in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia to help safely move millions of passengers every day. This partnership allows us to evolve our best-in-class signalling and automation systems and to customise it for HyperloopTT’s super high-speed transport. We are excited about this achievement and are looking ahead to the next stage of the programme.”

Hitachi Rail originally announced its technology partnership with HyperloopTT in December 2020 with the objective to integrate hyperloop’s capsule traveling system with Hitachi Rail’s industry-leading signalling technology, ERTMS (European Rail Traffic Management System). Hitachi Rail is a global industry leader in digital signalling for high-speed rail and is the first provider to introduce ERTMS technology in Europe, in the UK, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and France, and in the highly competitive markets of China and India.