Transport is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. In terms of CO2 emissions, rail transport performs well compared to private transport. However, there is also great potential for rail to make mobility more sustainable. This is the aim of Cubris, a Danish company that has recently become part of Hitachi Rail.
Cubris aims not only to reduce the environmental impact of rail transport, but also to improve the punctuality and safety of trains, reduce operating costs for railway operators and encourage a modal shift from road and air to rail. An ambitious goal, no doubt! Cubris is supported by embedded specialist Syslogic, among others.
GreenSpeed is the name of Cubris’ connected driver advisory system (C-DAS). It acts as a link between the traffic management system of infrastructure managers and the train drivers. GreenSpeed delivers simple and intuitive driving advise based on the optimal speed profiles to the driver’s cab and enables resource-saving and smooth railway operations.
In conventional rail transport, trains are often moved between signals and travel time measurements, often traveling at the maximum permitted speed, although in most cases this is not necessary. Trains weighing several tonnes are thereby often slowed down at the next signal and have to stop. GreenSpeed prevents these unnecessary stops. Thanks to GreenSpeed’s speed profile, the driver operates the train so that it arrives at and passed the next signal at exactly the right time. This significantly reduces energy consumption and improves timetable adherence and safety on the tracks. GreenSpeed can help overcome unexpected events, for example if a train in front of the GreenSpeed train does not clear the platform as expected. The speed profile and associated advice is adjusted in near real time to avoid stopping at the station entry signal or alternatively diverted to another track with a free platform.
GreenSpeed is based on the timetable, infrastructure data, topography and precise vehicle characteristics. Cubris uses this data to create speed profiles using a sophisticated algorithm calculated directly on all GreenSpeed vehicles on the network. In the event of unexpected incidents, the speed profiles are adjusted for all affected vehicles. The operating data of all GreenSpeed trains is stored in the data centre and accessible in a web based back office for analysis. In this way, GreenSpeed can be continuously improved.
Cubris’ customers include several rolling stock manufacturers who integrate GreenSpeed as a service in their traction vehicles. The service runs directly through the train’s on-board control and management system (TCMS). With the Greenbox, Cubris also offers a retrofittable plug-and-play solution for OEMs and railway operators. To this end, Cubris has teamed up with embedded specialist Syslogic. Syslogic supplies a railway-certified embedded computer that runs Cubris’ GreenSpeed software.
The Greenbox is connected to the on-board Ethernet of an existing vehicle. It receives telemetry data and communicates with the GreenSpeed trackside server. It also transmits the speed profiles to the driver’s cab. Driving recommendations are displayed in a browser window on any display.
After Cubris originally started in Denmark and GreenSpeed was first used by the Danish State Railways, the development of the Greenbox was an important milestone in the company’s history. It was during this phase that the collaboration with Syslogic came about. Martin Kyndi, CCO at Cubris, recalls: "We were looking for a hardware partner with many years of railway experience.” According to Kyndi, Syslogic had a wide range of railway computers. Cubris’ requirements were perfectly met by the evaluated railway computer.
Syslogic is a European supplier specialising in embedded systems for the railway industry. The company’s railway computers are certified to EN50155 and EN45545 HL3. They meet high requirements for robustness, durability and long-term availability and are suitable for the extended temperature range of –40 to +70 degrees Celsius. The embedded systems are used worldwide by well-known rail vehicle manufacturers and railway operators, both for rolling stock applications and for trackside traffic control and CCTV applications in railway stations. Benjamin Gassler, Product Manager at Syslogic, says: "Our railway computers are specifically designed for the railway market. As a result, the devices offer very high MTBF (mean time between failures) values, which in turn has a positive effect on the low total cost of ownership, according to Gassler.
The collaboration between Cubris and Syslogic has now developed into a successful partnership. Both companies are committed to driving innovation in the rail market, contributing to the most resource-efficient mobility possible and the EU’s 2050 net-zero target.
Martin Kyndi, CCO at Cubris, says: "By offering GreenSpeed both as a service and as a plug-and-play solution, we appeal to both rolling stock manufacturers and railway operators. According to Kyndi, Cubris intends to further expand its position as a leading partner for connected driver advisory systems. This includes geographical expansion. Cubris is already active in Western and Central Europe, Scandinavia and the UK. The system is used, for example, on the famous Elisabeth line, the urban and suburban railway in London. In 2025, further European railway lines are to be equipped with the intelligent driver advisory system.
Cubris is a Danish private limited IT and engineering company (ApS) based in Copenhagen, Denmark, specialised in developing and delivering the driver advisory solution «GreenSpeed» for railway operators for both passenger and freight. The company is owned by the Hitachi Rail Group.
Syslogic is a leading tech company in the embedded industry and is pioneering digitalization. Syslogic’s embedded computers are the hardware base for making tomorrow’s trends reality and to tackle fundamental challenges of our time.
