Innovation through new technologies

Innovation doesn’t just happen – we make it happen. With thousands of patents and technology experts and collaborations with the best research and development institutions. Find out how we transport people, economies and societies toward a better tomorrow.

Patents worldwide

Worldwide staff in R&D engineering and software development

Collaborations with approx. 100 universities

The framework for transforming rail: Our core technologies at a glance

Connectivity, automation, extended reality: smart technologies can sometimes be quite abstract. The following infographic gives you an overview of all our core technologies and where they are used.

Overview graphic shows all Siemens Mobility core technologies at a glance

Connectivity & edge

The Internet of Things (IoT) seamlessly combines the real and digital worlds and is a key element for digitalization. It leads to fundamental changes in all areas of our economy and society, such as improved maintenance and service of interconnected devices. Learn more about specific 5G use cases.

Cybersecurity & trust

Cybersecurity is a top priority at Siemens. It is a prerequisite for organizations to safeguard critical infrastructure and assure business continuity. The ability to supply products, systems and services with state-of-the-art security provides a strong competitive advantage. As a Technology Company, cybersecurity is a core element of Siemens’ technology and innovation strategy.
Blockchain is a technology that builds trustworthy distributed databases and a digital protocol for transactions agreements between partners that do not necessarily trust each other – with no intermediaries. A blockchain, often also called distributed ledger, records transactions in a chronological order that are always transparent and traceable. The Virtual Blockchain Recorder records juridical data like in an airplane’s black box. This enables real-time immutable data storage, a critical aspect for implementing blockchain.

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Advanced manufacturing & circularity

Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, has already changed the service business and can fundamentally change the development and production of serial components. AM enables the highest availability of technically improved spare parts. Serial parts can benefit from complex designs with improved functions as well as weight reduction and much more.
In future industrial manufacturing, products will be created using interconnected processes that include every step of the value chain, from material selection to design and production. Protective coatings, reinforced plastics and insulating materials for electrical machines, as well as models for material-specific design are our research field to reduce weight while maintaining stability considering the long life of vehicles to further reduce lifecycle costs.

User experience

User interfaces can be found everywhere from the drivers cab in a train to operation control desks as well as in monitoring and diagnostic systems of our components. A holistic user experience (UX) approach combines excellent technologies with innovative customer-centric methodologies and continuous user engagement across the entire product lifecycle. That allows quick iterations of prototypes with early and continuous validation of our users.

Data analytics & artificial intelligence (AI)

Data analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are key to automation in the entire life cycle of our rolling stock, rail infrastructure and systems. From requirements management via design, digital twin, engineering, manufacturing, roll-out, and operation to service and maintenance, AI enhances efficiency, quality and experience for our employees to build and our customers to use our products.

Power electronics

Power electronics in rail includes PECs for traction and onboard auxiliary systems. These meet the demands of new onboard applications such as hydrogen vehicles and battery traction for commuter rail, as well as PECs with high switching frequencies and higher operating temperature that provide strong leverage. Converter topologies using wide bandgap power semiconductors can reduce size and weight while increasing energy efficiency.

Simulation & digital twins

Digital twins of trains, infrastructure and entire transportation systems will play a decisive role in the future. They will enable better products, smooth project execution and improved operation and maintenance. The combination of digital twins and operational data will allow a new level of transparency on the system state and behavior. Utilizing digital twins to feed information about system performance back to the product design allows for an efficient product improvement process.

Future of automation

Automation technology has been a huge boost to manufacturing, infrastructure and mobility towards autonomous systems. Especially for assisted and driverless vehicles, a comprehensive understanding of the environment is necessary to perform adequate actions. A sensor fusion of heterogeneous sensor data – like cameras, lidar, and radar – and digital maps enhances the reliability and safety of the environment perception. Using the analysis from this environment model achieves awareness and understanding of a situation.

Software systems & processes

Software systems and processes (SSP) describes development methods for how industrial software products are created to achieve immediate and tangible added value for users by increasing the speed of software development while maintaining quality in increasingly complex environments. This applies to all solutions that consist of or contain software, i.e. trains, interlockings, landside IT systems and possibly apps. As a result, the SSP flows indirectly into all mobility products.

Sustainable energy & infrastructure

The rail industry is increasingly demanding electricity for transportation with networks simultaneously transforming to meet this demand. Flexible network connections contribute to more efficient operation, the integration of renewable energy and charging of battery vehicles with high power demand.

Integrated circuits & electronics

In our model-based system approach, we focus on a design flow that leads from engineering to manufacturing data. Tooling for design, implementation, and verification are the foundation of efficient design methodologies and digital twins for electronics that involve IC/ASIC and PCB (printed circuit board) architectures.
Tooling for design, implementation, and verification are the foundation of efficient design methodologies, e. g. for battery systems integrated into the vehicle drive system. Intelligent battery management increases efficiency, battery life cycle and overall effectiveness.

Extended reality (XR)

Extended Reality (XR), including Augmented- and Virtual Reality (AR, VR) can bridge the gap between real and digital worlds using 3D visualizations, natural interaction and spatial information. For Siemens Mobility it can enable for example, the interactions with digital twins in engineering and service. Thus, it creates opportunities for training with virtual instead of real machines and design reviews using virtual instead of physical prototypes.

Localization & odometry

Today's components like radar are subject to negative influences by ice and snow, while others – e.g. balises – are expensive to install and maintain. The goal is to eliminate sensitivity to external influences as much as possible while achieving an optimized cost position. To achieve this target, new sensors are being developed using new measurement principles. These will be combined with new digital mapping services providing a detailed track topology for higher accuracy.

Computer vision

Computer vision (CV) is a key ingredient for our products towards higher automation and utilizing the power of digitalization. During operation, CV is essential for achieving 100% availability through intelligent and optimized service and maintenance. CV helps automate rail traffic towards driverless operation. It can prevent violence in trains and optimize passenger transitions at train stops.

Deep dive into our core technologies

We are a leader in key technology and innovation areas that facilitate the long-term success of our customers.

Cybersecurity

We are your trusted partner for cybersecurity with trained staff, secure products and certified security processes across product lifecycle. Both operators and passengers alike benefit from secure modern technologies.

Go to our cybersecurity solutions

Data analytics & AI

Automation powered by AI increases flexibility during varying peak travel times, reduces downtime due to maintenance and enables upgrades on the go. All of this benefits passengers, maintainers and transportation operators.

Go to our data analytics & AI solutions

Additive manufacturing

With additive manufacturing using spare-part 3D printing, we promote the circular economy through improved material efficiency, weight savings and waste reduction while keeping original parts available for rail traffic over decades.

Recent innovations based on our core technologies

Relying on the framework of Siemens’ core technologies, we are developing product innovations and new technologies. We take MaaS platforms to the next level, realize ETCS upgrades and enable lean maintenance.