Kontron, a leading global provider of IoT/Embedded Computing Technology (ECT), and SYSGO present SAFe-VX for safety-critical railway solutions. The platform is the first result of the joint technology development from Kontron and SYSGO and is based on Kontron’s proven COTS (Commercial-off-the-Shelf) hardware and SYSGO’s real-time operating system PikeOS®. It allows users to quickly switch to a SIL certified system so as to meet the IEC 61508 standards for electronic systems. PikeOS® is currently the only real-time operating system with a certifiable kernel according to Common Criteria EAL 3+, supporting tasks segregation, and therefore implementing functional safety and IT security in one system. With its flexible and modular VPX-based architecture, the Safety Computing platform enables faster time-to-market and a major shrink of the total cost of ownership.
The SAFe-VX systems in a compact half 19″ 4U format is particularly suitable for controlling safety-critical applications in rail transport, whether in rolling stocks or in station/wayside, as it can be used in large temperature ranges and harsh environments, compliant with EMC/EMI standards. It is also shock and vibration resistant. Thanks to its modularity, SAFe-VX is easy to customize and can be easily adapted to requested I/O subsets in multiple use cases.
SYSGO’s real-time operating system PikeOS® serves as a hypervisor and ensures functional and software security through its strict partitioning. The versatility and clear separation of software tasks allow the concurrent operation of critical and non-critical partitions in one system when needed. Train Operators can perform multiple applications, such as data analytics, artificial intelligence for autonomous driving, on a single platform. The connection to existing communication systems in trains takes place via Ethernet or fieldbus.
In addition, SAFe-VX development platform comes with safety documentation packages, local technical software support and long-term product support of up to 30 years adjusted to the project needs. This makes the platform suitable for the control of all safety-relevant functions for smart railway systems, both for new trains and for the modernization of existing train fleets.
“SYSGO is very pleased to be working with Kontron as its rail systems partner. The new development platform will help rail vehicle and line equipment customers shorten their time-to-market and reduce risk and operating costs for systems that require EN 50128 to SIL4 certification,” said Franz Walkembach, VP Marketing & Alliances at SYSGO. “Customers can rely on PikeOS® certification artifacts for safety or safety-related functional blocks for project delivery. By combining Kontron hardware and SYSGO software experience, we create high value for our customers”.
“SAFe-VX is the first Safety computer platforms 100% leveraging on COTS that allow reducing certification costs and time to market, while the VITA/VPX industry standards matches the long term programs lifecycle,” said Robert Negre, VP of Business Development, Kontron. “Such innovative approach in redundant safety computer platforms opens new perspectives in terms of modularity and versatility to allow application to run concurrently safety critical tasks and non-critical analytics tasks on SAFe-VX thanks to PikeOS® and the hypervisor from SYSGO”.
Kontron and SYSGO will showcase the SAFe-VX platform and their advanced capabilities for Safety-critical Railway applications at EXPO Ferroviaria, October 1-3 in Milan, in booth D132.