en.Wedoany.com Reported - A new technical collaboration has achieved, for the first time, the factory pre-installation of a software-defined onboard signaling system in newly manufactured regional passenger trains. This system integrates the European Train Control System (ETCS) directly into dual-power traction units operating on the Czech railway network.
Modern railway transport networks require continuous synchronization between onboard control systems and trackside infrastructure to maintain safe braking curves and traffic throughput. When updating software to meet evolving EU regulatory standards, traditional automatic train protection hardware implementations often face high integration costs, stringent space constraints, and complex certification pathways. To overcome these integration limitations, Škoda Group and its signaling subsidiary jointly executed an engineering project combining rolling stock manufacturing with modular, software-defined safety computing. Based on an open, scalable digital supply chain architecture, this project decouples underlying signaling software from dedicated hardware, enabling the system to run multiple safety-critical and diagnostic applications simultaneously on a single onboard computing unit.
The technical solution is built around the iEVC-RailOS universal digital railway platform, which serves as the primary onboard ETCS gateway. The system architecture combines compact modular hardware interfaces with an abstracted software layer, allowing localized software updates without replacing entire hardware sets or requiring full recertification of the vehicle's signaling system. The manufacturing division handles the mechanical and electrical integration of components within the vehicle cab, while the signaling subsidiary configures software profiles to match specific regional infrastructure requirements. This software-defined approach provides a standard interface for integrating pan-European safety protocols and legacy national signaling systems on the same hardware platform, thereby reducing total bandwidth overhead and improving data localization for maintenance diagnostics.
The production deployment involves 34 hybrid trains ordered for interregional services in northeastern Bohemia, including 18 two-car units and 16 three-car units. The traction configuration is equipped with diesel power units and electrical components, enabling service on lines without overhead digital infrastructure until full electrification is completed. By embedding the modular signaling architecture directly into the vehicle production phase, the engineering team ensures that the trains can achieve real-time telemetry processing and continuous train protection across different infrastructure configurations. The first trains are scheduled to enter commercial service on specific lines in December 2029, including the Prague–Tanvald and Kolín–Rumburk routes, where they will replace aging diesel rolling stock.
The software-defined ETCS architecture used in this deployment represents a departure from traditional hardware-bound systems such as Alstom Atlas or Siemens Trainguard, which rely on proprietary, tightly coupled hardware-software topologies. By operating on an open, software-defined platform certified to the latest EU standards, the system allows operators to make modifications via software updates rather than physical component overhauls, reducing typical retrofitting cycles from months to days. This architecture aligns with the European Union Agency for Railways' shift toward modular architecture standards, enabling a measurable reduction in long-term maintenance overhead compared to traditional monolithic signaling systems.
