Siemens Proves Unique Signalling X Solution In Live Metro Operation

Siemens Mobility carried out the world’s first live demonstration of metro operations with Signalling X at the Singapore Rail Test Center (SRTC), in front of mass transit operators and journalists from around the world. As global mobility demand continues to rise, this breakthrough brings Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC), the state-of-the-art system for metro and urban networks, into a centralized cloud-ready infrastructure, a signalling data center. Safety-critical functions run on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware with Siemens Mobility’s Distributed Smart Safe System (DS3) platform. The result: up to 20% higher operational efficiency and up to 30% energy savings – delivering more capacity and sustainable mobility by enabling more trains to run safely at closer intervals. Following its launch at InnoTrans 2024 and successful introduction in mainline rail, Signalling X is now ready for the mass transit market.

Cloud-ready platform: Future of Railway
Signalling X represents a groundbreaking advancement in signalling and control for both mainline and urban rail. This cloud-ready platform integrates interlockings, signaling systems, and control systems into a centralized, virtualized data center. By deploying safety-critical railway functions, like interlocking logic, and non-safety systems such as timetable management and traffic optimization on the same type of commercial off-the-shelf hardware and through standardized APIs, it provides a seamless, efficient approach to rail operations. Unlike proprietary systems that rely on older chip technology and occupy entire rooms with specially built electronics, Signalling X demonstrates that the software can run in systems worldwide on COTS standard hardware - simplifying infrastructure and reducing complexity.

The foundation of this innovation is the DS3, introduced in 2020, which utilizes COTS hardware to ensure safety-critical applications operate securely within a scalable, redundant network. This cyber-secure environment enhances operational efficiency, offers significant energy savings, and reduces headways, paving the way for a more flexible and future-proof rail ecosystem.