January 24, 2019

The Importance of Software Safety on Trains

Australia’s landmass stretches 3,180 km from north to south and 4,000 km from east coast to west, and as of 2019 the country is serviced by approximately 33,168 kilometres of rail track. The railway was developed in the colonial era and first electrified in 1919.

However, the track’s gauges vary from state to state with no unification or standardisation process – one of the main challenges posed to operational efficiency. Recently, internet technologies and software have been introduced to help combat this.

How software is used in Australia’s rail network

Train routes in Australia are so complex they cannot be tracked and maintained using traditional machine-to-machine software. That’s where the Internet of Things (IoT) comes into play: elaborate computer programs process data collected from trains, tracks and their environments in order to enhance interactions between devices and services, software and hardware, and systems and sensors.
While railways in the EU use GSM-R, a form of cellular network, for signalling, IoT provides high-end digital solutions for information processing, including Big Data analytics, high-tech sensors and machine learning technologies. This data enables exciting improvements in efficiency and scope in areas such as engineering, servicing and maintenance, fault detection and passenger safety.
However, railway software is itself not without its share of safety risks.

What are the biggest software safety risks?

As with any industry incorporating increased levels of automation and operating within IoT, cybersecurity is one of the biggest concerns for Australia’s rail industry.
Examples of this have been seen both at home and further afield. In Germany, the WannaCry virus attacked 450 German Rail computers, disrupting CCTV footage, ticket machines and passenger information screens with a ransom message.
According to IBM, the frequency of such attacks has increased by 600% in just a two-year period, which brings into question the vulnerability of both company systems and operational software. IBM stated that it is the increased integration between IT and operational technology (OT) which opens railway systems up to such attacks.
With radio frequency ID tags used to automate fault detection on tracks and the introduction of in-cab signalling for the automated control of train speed and movement, the potential ramifications of a cyber attack – or indeed another form of software failure – could be huge.

The development of new railway networks

On the 36km Metro line between Sydney’s north-west and Chatswood, a driverless train service using Alstom Metropolis EMUs is expected to be rolled out in April or May after a successful test run.
It goes without saying that such a project, which is expected to complete the final stages of testing in 2024, requires a high level of software security and risk management.
In this new digitised age of transport technology, factors such as competence, reliability and accuracy are more important than ever. Independent risk and assurance solutions are therefore vital to help organisations within railway infrastructure understand and manage their requirements.
At JVAT, we offer consultancy, advice, training and workshops to assist in identifying risk and managing safety across a wide range of sectors, specifically rail and transport. Get in touch to find out more.