The Impact of EN 50716:2023 on Rail Digitalization and Advanced Technologies
The rail industry is buzzing with innovation, driven by digitalization and the integration of advanced technologies. This transformation aims to boost efficiency, enhance safety, and improve the passenger experience. We’re seeing exciting developments like the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and digital twin technology reshaping how rail systems operate.
Central to this discussion is the new EN 50716:2023 standard, which supersedes EN 50128 and addresses the growing complexity of software development in rail applications. This standard introduces support for iterative development life cycles, modeling techniques, and the integration of AI/ML technologies.
Navigating iterative development and ensuring compliance.
Exploring advanced technologies shaping the rail industry.
Trends Driving Rail Innovation
The rail industry is experiencing significant shifts, much like other sectors. Key drivers include:
Technology Trends: Greater automation, big data analytics, AI/ML, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are becoming central. Automation helps improve safety by reducing human error, while AI/ML and big data analytics allows for deeper insights into operations for continuous improvement. IoT connects various elements, from track monitors to sensors on trains, providing real-time data.
Environmental Trends: There’s a strong push for sustainable energy to reduce carbon footprints and energy consumption, mirroring trends in automotive and aviation.
Passenger Trends: Making rail travel comfortable, convenient, and efficient for passengers is a major focus, influencing the design of trains, stations, and services.
Introducing EN 50716:2023
Released in November 2023, EN 50716 supersedes and combines EN 50128 and EN 50657. It provides a clear development roadmap with nine sections, covering scope, references, terms, software integrity, organization, assurance, development, customization, and deployment.
Software Integrity Levels (SIL): Defining five levels (SIL 0 to SIL 4) based on system safety and risk assessment.
Organization and Management: Ensuring clear roles, qualifications, and independence for project teams, along with structured documentation and quality assurance.
Software Assurance: Detailing processes for testing, verification, validation, and assessment, ensuring software meets safety requirements.
Software Development: Emphasizing the V-model, iterative development methodologies, and the creation of detailed specifications for requirements, architecture, design, and testing.
Component Implementation and Testing: Focusing on well-structured source code, static analysis, unit testing, and verification reports.
Integration and Validation: Ensuring software components work together and with hardware, including system-level testing and final validation.
Testing and Compliance with EN 50716
The standard elaborates on various testing methods:
Static Analysis: Analyzing source code without execution to find implementation issues early. This aligns with the “shift left” approach, making bug fixing cheaper and more efficient. Tools supporting coding standards like MISRA, AUTOSAR C++14, and security standards like CERT and CWE are recommended.
Dynamic Analysis: Performing tests through code execution, including unit, integration, system, and regression testing. Comprehensive unit testing frameworks with features like mocks, stubs, and assertions are crucial.
Test Coverage: Meeting specified structural code coverage metrics is essential. Reports detailing code execution status help testers and auditors assess compliance.
Traceability: Linking requirements from Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) tools to test cases ensures comprehensive verification and validation, building stakeholder confidence.
Customization, Deployment, and Maintenance
EN 50716 also addresses:
Application Data: Customizing standard software for specific installations using an application preparation plan to ensure safety and verification.
Deployment and Maintenance: Ensuring software integrity and reliability in the deployed environment through deployment manuals, planned maintenance, and strict change control.
New Guidance in EN 50716
Annex C of the standard provides new guidance on:
Iterative Development: Repeating development phases in cycles to refine software, breaking projects into smaller, manageable chunks.
Modeling: Using modeling languages like UML and SysML to manage complexity, abstract design details, and improve communication.
AI/ML: Acknowledging the increasing relevance of AI/ML while highlighting challenges in verification due to training data and potential adversarial attacks. The standard offers minimal guidance, with ongoing research into best practices.
Understanding Rail Software Standards: The EN 5012X Series
The EN 5012X series of European standards provides guidance on safety requirements for railway applications. These standards cover various aspects, including:
EN 50126: General guidelines for reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety (RAMS).
EN 50129: Emphasis on evidence needed to demonstrate safety for train signaling devices and risk assessment.
EN 50128: Focuses on software development and testing for rail control and protection systems.
EN 50657: Complements EN 50128 by focusing on software requirements for rolling stock applications.
