Power of Data

The railway sector is immersed in a context of changes and disruptions. Among the main challenges it faces, there is the latent need to adapt and modernize the activity of the railway network with the latest technologies and automation solutions. In order to be competitive and efficient both in maintenance and in train operation.

Digital products and the use of data are key in the day-to-day operations of train operators and maintainers to face these challenges, since they facilitate early detection of problems and allow decision-making. The identification of patterns and trends in the behaviour of trains favours the anticipation of any anomaly that could affect the correct functioning of the different equipment, an essential element in railway predictive maintenance.

In this sense, digital technology brings great benefits to the railway sector: data is the critical asset that allows decision-making and increases the efficiency of services. Therefore, having a software for train maintenance makes it possible to reduce downtime, reduce maintenance costs and achieve safer and more reliable mobility.

As a first step, putting the user at the centre to be able to add value from the earliest phases of the creation and development of digital products with the use of data. At CAF, the process we follow begins by identifying the needs of users, focusing on a specific failure. This way:

• We identify the needs and pain points of the client through workshops, interviews, existing specifications in the market and visits to on-site workshops to understand what the specific problems of the users are.
• We prototype the solution to be able to test with the users that the proposal covers their real needs and to be able to estimate with the development teams the technical feasibility of the solution.
• We make sure that the information is available, accessible and appropriate by analysing the necessary data and establishing quality rules.
• Through user feedback, we develop and validate the product with the development teams in an iterative and incremental way.
• We monitor its use and review that the product has met the expected objectives, and we identify possible improvements or evolutions with its use.

Through the LeadMind digital platform, our advanced analytics solution, high-quality data is collected to manage information in real time and reduce diagnostic times. This technology has meant a transformation in maintenance operations, since it allows workshops to detect equipment failures early.

This is how the use of data, together with knowledge of railway analytics and engineering, becomes the perfect combination to be able to take full advantage of the information and make decisions based on data from products adapted to the railway world.

The solutions that we offer at CAF Digital Services are digital products that use data to help operators and maintainers make effective decisions when planning and optimizing railway maintenance, allowing them to detect and repair possible failures before they become serious. a serious problem and may affect the operation of the fleet. Among the different functionalities provided by LeadMind platform, these 4 have been specially designed to improve the operation of railway fleets, meeting very specific needs:

Driver performance

Driver Performance module evaluates the normality of actions, detecting hot spots of operation and anomalies in the train/driver tandem. Contextualizing malfunctions, accidents or specific time frames in order to improve the usage of the train and prevent future problems.

Driving mode also affects vehicle wear and maintenance, so with all this organised and structured information better maintenance decision can be made to extend the life of the equipment. It thus allows:

• Detect the points that cause the highest number of events in operation.
• Learn about the current driving behaviour of the fleet.
• Access recorded performance data which can help you understand why something happened at a given moment.
• See and keep check on driver’s actions.

Passenger occupancy

In order to optimize both the planning and experience of passengers, levels of occupancy must be understood and analysed. This dashboard is a tool that makes occupancy statistics available to the operator based on different dates, stations or routes.

CAF offers, both in real time and through advanced analytics, a vehicle occupancy data management solution that allows operators to track the number of passengers per train, location and time slot; with the aim of minimising dwell times at stations, predicting passenger demand and improving delays caused by unexpected incidents. Through this functionality it is possible to achieve:

• Cost reduction associated with planning optimization and improvement of passenger experience.
• Reduced fraud and increased savings.
• Knowledge of the travel habits by schedules and seasons of the population.

Energy, consumption control for a more sustainable mobility

Energy consumption control, for a greener mobility. The energy module is a management and control tool to maximize the energy efficiency of the fleets. It allows to know the energy expenditure of the UTs, quantifying the benefit of initiatives and assessing the savings economically.

It is focused on reducing consumption to achieve a greener mobility. It will be possible to identify which drivers are less efficient in their driving to help them improve. It will be also possible to detect equipment that, although its performance is correct, its consumption is higher than it should be, so that it can be replaced.

Speed monitoring

peed safety means, safety for all. Speed Monitoring resolves the operational need to ensure safety in service, allowing to know the traffic speed versus the limit speed specified for operation on the line. Driving above the limit can lead to accidents that can cause damage to passengers, road users and drivers, as well as to disruption of road and city traffic.

The speed monitoring solution includes an HMI system installed in the cab to alert the driver in case of over speeding. If the driver does not slow down the train, the system will automatically brake the train. The dashboard is an add-on solution that allows advanced analysis with a high level of detail, including historical data.

• Complete monitoring of the speed of trains by route, section and timeslot.
• Visualization of geolocalized events, facilitating analysis and decision-making.
• Getting to know driving behavior and avoid human errors.