SBB experiments with new technologies in Israel

SBB is searching internationally for new technologies to make its operations safer, especially against accidents and hackers. Alongside other technologies, the focus is also on augmented reality.

SBB maintains three outposts where technology scouts are stationed: in Silicon Valley near San Francisco, in China with Chinese Railways and its suppliers, and in Israel. The scouting initiative is most advanced in Israel. SBB has pitched its tents in a start-up area called "Mixer" in Herzlia, the high-tech suburb of Tel Aviv. "We are interested in concrete technology here, not some vision of the future," says Rama Marcus, Head of SBB Technology and Innovation Outpost Israel. Developing every piece of software and every product in-house makes no sense. "It's not our core expertise, which is why we are open to development partnerships."

Israel's Railvision is already supplying SBB with a solution for object recognition. At the beginning of February, SBB also defined five areas for which it is looking for new technologies in Israel: Rolling stock localisation, augmented reality, energy efficiency, shared mobility solutions and cyber defence.

In the area of augmented reality, railway customers have so far been able to hold their phones up to locations, shops and information boards in the station to obtain additional information. This technology is being expanded. The start-up with expertise in "location-based mobile applications" for indoor environments is to take over this task. "The proof-of-concept and pilot phase will now run for four months," says Marcus. The evaluation of all startup candidates for all five areas will be completed by the end of 2020 and the results published.

Source: presseportal / SBB