Indra and Siemens team up to develop and commercialise a thorough railway signalling solution at international level

Indra, the premier IT company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe, and Siemens, world leading company in railway signalling, have signed an agreement to develop a new thorough railway signalling solution which comprises traditional signalling and the ERTMS level 2 technology for the future European railway traffic management system. The agreement includes commercialisation of the platform by both companies at national and international level.

Indra’s experience and Siemens’ knowledge in signalling and railway telecommunications team up in a strategic alliance to develop a global, integrated and cutting-edge solution which will be exported to the international markets.

One of the first results of the agreement is the new RBC system (Radio Block Center) developed by Indra on the SICAS ECC platform and Siemens’ SIMIS signalling control technology. The RBC system is a critical element to enhance signalling with views to the future European ERTMS level 2 system which is under validation and certification at the Rail Technology Centre (CTF) of Adif in Malaga.   This centre, which seeks to make of the Spanish railway sector an international benchmark, is also equipped with a signalling control platform where Indra and Siemens’ solution is being polished.

The solution is not only comprehensive and integrated but also possesses high flexibility and availability, can be easily adapted to future technologies and requires simple maintenance.

Exportable Spanish railway technology

Besides the work and investment in R&D to produce an avant-garde, integrated solution of Spanish engineering, both Indra and Siemens are studying commercial opportunities, at national and international levels and have already bid in different tenders. The purpose is to export the technology to foreign projects relying on Siemens’ global leadership in railway signalling and Indra’s experience in the development and internationalisation of Spanish technology of which a good example is the Da Vinci system. This system, regarded as the world’s most advanced railway traffic management platform, has been implemented in Spain’s high-speed network and in countries such as UK, Colombia, Morocco or Lithuania.

The association and commitment by both companies to collaborate in national and international projects point at a long-term strategic alliance.

Experience in collaboration

This is not the first time Indra and Siemens collaborate. Both companies have participated in some of the most representative works of Spain’s high-speed network such as: Sagra-Toledo high-speed branch line, the Lerida-Barcelona high-speed stretch and Madrid-Valladolid high-speed line.

Currently, Indra and Siemens are engaged in the signalling and telecommunications project for the Metropolitano de Granada to implement the SAE, SIV, ticketing, chronometry, intercom and PA systems.

Indra, at the forefront of the railway sector 

Indra's commitment with the railway sector and innovation has put the company at the forefront at global level. The IT company has developed cutting-edge technology solutions for the most innovative Spanish clients and has exported them to UK, China, USA among others.

Recently, the company extended the R&D+i agreement with Adif for two more years. It was signed in May, 2005 and establishes the research lines and collaboration projects at the CTF in Malaga. Among the projects we can mention the Da Vinci system for the management of railway traffic and the evolution of the ERTMS signalling system. 

Indra set up at the CTF a research laboratory specialised in advanced solutions for railway traffic to join its capacities to those of Adif in order to position Spain as a world reference in high-speed technology.

Indra is the premier Information Technology company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America. It is ranked as the second European company in its sector according to investment in R&D with nearly € 500 M during the last three years. In 2010 revenues reached € 2,557 M of which a 40% came from the international market. The company employs more than 31,000 professionals and has clients in more than 110 countries.

Siemens and railway in Spain

Siemens has been present in Spain for over 115 years and has collaborated with the development of the railway in this country. The company has participated in the works of high-speed from the beginning and has carried out ambitious projects such as the automation of Line 9 of the Barcelona underground, the only fully automated line in Spain.

The track circuits, made at the Cornella factory are trusted components by national railway agents and competitors within the signalling sector as they usually purchase this product.

Siemens’ SIMIS signalling control was developed and installed on Metro de Madrid in 2006 with a development of application engineering being 100% local. Besides this, the Andalusian government commissioned Siemens the line 1 of Metro Centro Sevilla and its extension, or the Metropolitano de Granada.

The system engineering equipment and signalling of Siemens LTD. are a reference for Siemens AG in terms of efficiency and management model for other subsidiaries across the world.