The S2R JU was established in 2014 as a public-private partnership in order to increase and defragment the investment in research and innovation (R&I) in the railway area. The S2R JU contributes to smart and sustainable growth through its actions to foster R&I in the railway sector. The purpose is to achieve a Single European Railway Area; to enhance the attractiveness and the competitiveness of the European railway system; to ensure a modal shift from roads towards a more sustainable mode of transport such as rail; and to sustain the leadership of the European rail industry on the global market. The S2R JU functions as a platform bringing together different stakeholders from the railway sector (e.g. rail equipment manufacturers, infrastructure managers, railway undertakings) for them to collaborate, coordinate innovation efforts, and exchange expertise. In addition, as a platform, it offers opportunities for SMEs, Research Centres, and Universities to join the research and innovation activities through the open calls, which comprise at least 30% (i.e. EUR 130 million) of the Union’s contribution. The JU has been fully operational since May 2016.
The S2R activities are driven by the S2R Master Plan, a forward-looking document defining R&I priorities for a 2030 horizon, beyond the programmatic period of the S2R JU. It proposes a holistic approach to the rail system that takes into consideration all the relevant railway subsystems and actors, as well as their complex interaction (system demonstrators). Given this whole-system approach, the S2R Master Plan establishes an R&I Programme structured around five integrated Innovation Programmes (IPs), through which, the S2R JU contributes to achieving among others:
• Lighter, more energy and cost efficient, reliable Passenger Trains which will provide the passenger with a more comfortable, digitally connected and safe journey.
• Digital Infrastructure; i.e. Artificial Intelligence integrated into the infrastructure
• Self-propelled/remotely operated driverless trains
• The ERTMS Nextgen; preserving ERTMS core but taking advantage of new technologies
• Intelligent freight trains using less capacity, while improving braking, noise, running and average speed.
• Convoying new concepts; including disruptive innovations as virtual coupling, vehicle-to-vehicle communication and information, cohesive running and braking allowing for shorter distance between trains.
• Door to door, smart personalized intermodal journeys coupled with reliable passenger information and intelligent re-routing capabilities.
The railway sector already has a range of advantageous characteristics, which sets it apart from its competitors – for instance its abilities to provide mass transit, journey comfort, safety, land use, a low carbon footprint and energy efficiency – but it is not unaffected by the important societal and other key challenges Europe is facing (such as climate change, digitalisation and urbanisation). In light of these megatrends, existing models of transport provision in Europe are under severe pressure; they need a paradigm shift to meet the evolving user requirements. S2R vision reflects and provides solutions to these challenges opening simultaneously three areas of opportunities:
1. Becoming the backbone of mobility as a service and on-demand future logistics;
2. Identifying and establishing new market segments for exploitation;
3. Enhancing the overall competitiveness of the sector, both in Europe and globally.
The vision of the S2R Partnership therefore is to deliver, through railway research and innovation, the capabilities to bring about the most sustainable, cost-efficient, high-performing, time driven, digital and competitive customer centred transport mode for Europe.
Contribution by:
Carlo M. Borghini
Executive Director
Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking
Share on:
