The accelerated application of new technologies—AI, big data, cloud computing, IoT, BeiDou navigation system, blockchain and 5G alike – has stimulated new rounds of scientific and technical revolution and industrial transformation. As mankind has entered an era of intelligence, the railway industry is expected to rise up to even more challenging requirements. The Master Plan for Railway Digitalization in the New Era released in 2017 proposes the strategic goals of Building an Intelligent Railway. In the same year, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (CHINA RAILWAY) initiated the construction of a number of key intelligent projects including the Beijing-Zhangjiakou and Beijing-Xiong'an railways and raised the goal of building an intelligent high speed railway. The operation of Fuxing EMUs at 350 km/h on the Beijing-Shanghai High-speed Railway (HSR) opened the prelude of HSR intelligent innovation in China. In 2019, China Railway Main Data Center was established and entered operation, which is a crucial step forward of the railway sector tapping computing and intelligent technologies.
With long-term dedication to independent innovation with Chinese characteristics, China’s railway industry channels great efforts to carry out collaborative and open innovations and moves faster to attain the competitive redge in railway R&D. Significant breakthroughs were made in many key technologies, with innovation achievements extensively applied in the industry, among which an intelligent railway, fueled by the development of Internet, has made notable headways. Thanks to the operation of key intelligent projects including the Beijing-Zhangjiakou and Beijing-Xiong'an railways, China railway strives to integrate intelligent technologies into railway construction, equipment, operation, maintenance and services. Preliminary progress has been made in building up the technology, data and standard systems for intelligent railway. That aside, the automatic operation of intelligent Fuxing EMUs at 350 km/h, the first time in the world, makes China a frontrunner in the area of the intelligent railway.
Source：Chinese Railways No.1 2020 Serial No.54
