Growing numbers of rail industry OEMs get on-board with Advantech
Stéphane Blanc, Sales Director - Transportation Sector at Advantech Europe, reveals how collaboration across a partner ecosystem helps optimize on-board train solutions.
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Editor: Is technology collaboration in a partner ecosystem becoming a growing trend in the rail industry, particularly for on-board solutions? Stéphane Blanc: A partner ecosystem makes perfect sense because approaching a project for an on-board train system with just hardware or just software makes it difficult to convince customers that the product can become an actual solution. For example, if a customer wants a system to count passengers as they board the train, we cannot respond as a hardware manufacturer alone, but we can as part of an ecosystem that includes a developer of AI algorithms. We’re always ready to build a strong ecosystem around our hardware to suit individual on-board train applications. It’s something we’ve been doing successfully for many years, and it’s why we retain close relationships with major chip vendors like NVIDIA, Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and NXP, as well as a broad spread of leading independent software vendors [ISVs]. Each AI-based solution for railway applications is a mix of chip vendor, Advantech for the complete hardware, and software from the ISV. This proven strategy results in optimally integrated solutions for precise train operations, seamless passenger experiences, and proactive maintenance. Editor: Aside from integrated R&D and production, what further added value does a collaborative approach provide for customers? Stéphane Blanc: We ensure full compliance with relevant industry standards. For example, an onboard system for rolling stock will need certification to EN 50155, the European standard for electronic systems in these applications. The same will apply to the required levels of cybersecurity. Rail industry OEMs can also rest assured that the system will be sufficiently powerful to run the specific application. Advantech is very experienced in delivering these values. It’s why we’ve grown quickly since our foundation in 1983, becoming a global company with manufacturing plants, logistics centers, service centers, and offices worldwide. We’re the largest industrial PC company on the planet with over 8,800 employees and a 2024 revenue of $1.87 billion. Editor: Can you provide examples of collaborative projects for an on-board train solution? Stéphane Blanc: We have for example a partner called PANTOhealth, a specialist in solutions for overhead train/tram line maintenance. With a special camera, vibration sensor, and AI, the train- or tramway-mounted system can detect overhead line issues when traveling the route. It’s a great way to achieve efficiency in maintenance and repair activities. PANTOhealth is using an Advantech hardware platform based on NVIDIA technology with AI. Another example involves Passengera, a leader in software development for train ‘infotainment’ and Connectivity systems, which is also taking advantage of an Advantech hardware platform. The solution is customized to Passengera’s specific requirements, facilitating technologies like 4G/5G networking, Wi-Fi connectivity, and GPS inside the train. Editor: Can you explain more about the ease of customization offered by Advantech? Stéphane Blanc: Our Configure To Order Service (CTOS) is a customization service that we offer directly to our customers. Our field application engineers co-work closely with the customer to define the required customization scope for the platform prior to shipment. Based on this jointly defined specification, a dedicated CTOS part number is created to support the order process. Editor: How do you decide which processors to use for on-board train solutions? Stéphane Blanc: If the solution calls for high processing power, it will probably benefit from an Intel® Core™ i platform. If we need more GPUs or AI capabilities, it will likely be NVIDIA-based. And sometimes we’ll use both. For instance, we have a product called ITA-580G, a rolling stock AI system with an Intel® Core™ i processor (a family of CPUs built on x86 architecture) and an MXM slot where we put an NVIDIA GPU for AI. It means we can adopt camera streams, for example, and develop algorithms for various applications. Editor: And what about selecting other key system components like gateways and routers? Stéphane Blanc: We have a variety of gateways to suit different use cases. For example, Advantech has a partnership with a company developing on-train cybersecurity involving two networks: one for the TCMS (train control monitoring system) and another for passenger information/entertainment systems. These two networks require robust protection from one another. We have a gateway that’s capable of managing this type of network cybersecurity. If we're talking about a gateway or router to make a bridge between a local network and something else, two options are available. One features GSM-R (Global System for Mobile Communications-Railway) technology, a digital communication system for secure and reliable voice and data services. We also have routers to facilitate 5G connection to Wi-Fi or a telecoms network (for internet on board). Looking to the future, a new standard is coming called FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System), an international wireless communication standard that will succeed GSM-R. Built on 5G technology, the specification is not finished yet, but we’re already co-working with customers on the development of a gateway that could support FRMCS on-board. Editor: When it comes to Ethernet switches for on-board train systems, what differentiates Advantech solutions? Stéphane Blanc: Two managed switch types are available from Advantech for trains. One is a backbone switch for the train’s entire system loop, while the other is a consist sub-network switch. Differentiation comes from the range available: from switches with 8-10 ports to much larger models with up to 28 ports. We also launched recently our EKI-9508 and EKI-9510 Ethernet switches, which offer extremely small form factors. It means we can offer 8-10 port switches in really compact dimensions - critical in modern train design. Further differentiation arrives courtesy of our easy-to-use push-pull M12 connector design for switches, rather than traditional screws, and the availability of a 10Gb switch for high bandwidth applications. Editor: How rugged does hardware need to be for use on trains? Stéphane Blanc: By way of example, EN 50155 OT5 is the specification for an electronic component that needs to operate in the harshest thermal environments. The ‘OT5’ suffix designates a specific operating temperature class, in this case -25°C to +85°C. Computer components deployed in these applications also require certification to EN 45545, a standard for fire protection on railway vehicles. To comply, materials must be flame-retardant and offer low smoke emissions and low toxicity. Editor: Are you seeing more demand for solutions with embedded AI, and what is the role of AI on trains? Stéphane Blanc: Demand for embedded AI is rising mainly in safety-related applications, such as the accurate counting of passengers to avoid train overloading (sometimes with assistance from an infrared camera), or maybe to monitor and alert on-board situations when a criminal act is in progress. Further AI-enabled solutions for on-board applications, but outside the train, include object detection on the rails, with the system relaying information to the driver. In fact, brake/wheel/rail analysis for predictive maintenance is a further on-board application for AI via cameras and/or vibration sensors. We already offer hardware solutions such as Edge AI inference computers embedded with NVIDIA Jetson for video image applications in sectors such as rail. Editor: How important is cybersecurity for on-board train systems? Stéphane Blanc: We’re seeing ever-increasing demand in line with IEC 62443, an international series of standards for cybersecurity in industrial automation and control systems (IACS). There are two levels. The first is IEC 62443-4-1, which defines process requirements for the secure development and manufacture of products used in IACS. Advantech is fully certified to IEC 62443-4-1. Then we have IEC 62443-4-2, a standard that provides detailed technical requirements for the cybersecurity of individual components used in IACS. Advantech is currently in the process of applying this certification, product range by product range. Although certified products are already available, we’ll be complete before 2027, which is when the EU’s new Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) becomes enforceable. Editor: With particular reference to on-board train systems, what does the future look like for Advantech solutions? Stéphane Blanc: It’s definitely more AI, especially for safety and predictive maintenance applications. Other trends include FRMCS, which is 5G technology on board, and automatic digital train couplings to connect rolling stock. We’ll also see autonomous trains in the near future. From a standards perspective, we see a growing trend from ITxPT, an organization proposing IT standards that ensure greater inter-compatibility between hardware and software vendors. To meet the standards, products must facilitate open architecture, data accessibility, and interoperability between IT systems. It’s already prominent in the bus sector, but we’re seeing growing requests for ITxPT in rail applications. www.advantech.com/en-eu
