FS Group validates GoA4 automation on European rail network
ITALY: FS Group has demonstrated Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) — fully automated train operation — on European Train Control System (ETCS) infrastructure at its Bologna test ring, confirming that automatic driving, remote operation and obstacle detection can function as an integrated architecture on ETCS-equipped infrastructure.
The 27 April demonstration, held at the San Donato ring in Bologna, brought together European railway stakeholders under the EU’s FP2-R2DATO research programme.
What the Bologna tests validated
Three functions were validated during the demonstration. Automatic Train Operation (ATO) over ETCS verified the integration between automation modules and onboard and trackside subsystems, with the train managing acceleration, speed and braking within the ETCS safety framework.
Remote driving allowed an operator to control the train from an external workstation replicating the driver’s cab — a function designed for manoeuvring, testing and degraded-mode operations.
The third function was obstacle detection: dedicated sensors identify objects or persons on the track and trigger supervised braking to a controlled stop.
The test vehicle and infrastructure
A Hitachi Blues tri-mode multiple unit, provided by Trenitalia, was fitted with the full GoA4 component set following the FP2-R2DATO reference architecture. The San Donato ring — a 5.7 km facility built by RFI on a former Bologna freight yard — provides ETCS Level 2 wayside infrastructure and allows 24-hour test operations.
The demonstration was conducted with operational staff on board, as required under test conditions, and was attended by representatives of CIFI, the Italian railway engineers’ association, alongside Europe’s Rail partners and project participants.
FP2-R2DATO and the path to deployment
The Bologna work forms part of Work Package 39, Subtask 39.2, led by Italian infrastructure manager RFI with contributions from Trenitalia and Hitachi. FP2-R2DATO — Rail to Digital and Automated Train Operations — is a EUR 160.8m Horizon Europe initiative managed by Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, bringing together 77 partners and targeting 350 deliverables.
The programme targets scalable automation at up to GoA4 level to increase capacity and punctuality on existing networks.