Hyundai Rotem Develops Railway Vehicle Energy-Saving System: "12% Reduction Achieved"

Hyundai Rotem has developed energy-saving technology to improve railway operation efficiency and achieve carbon neutrality.

On April 17, Hyundai Rotem announced that it has developed the Intelligent Energy Optimization System (IEOS), an intelligent energy-saving automatic train control system, in collaboration with Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) and Korea National University of Transportation.

KTX-Eum manufactured by Hyundai Rotem. Hyundai Rotem

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IEOS is a technology that sets the optimal speed for each section by reflecting the railway track conditions and operating environment, thereby reducing unnecessary acceleration and deceleration to minimize energy consumption. As an industry-academia collaboration project for enhancing railway operation efficiency and achieving carbon neutrality, Hyundai Rotem participated in the joint research and development, creating an algorithm that enables operation at economic speeds while maintaining stable ride comfort.

Hyundai Rotem plans to respond to the recent increase in global uncertainty by expanding railway energy research and development, including IEOS. Furthermore, the company aims to strengthen energy security and has set a goal to reduce value chain carbon emissions generated throughout business activities-from production and supply chain to use and disposal of products-by 25% by 2030.

Hyundai Rotem verified the energy-saving effect of IEOS through thousands of repeated driving simulations and demonstration tests in a digital twin environment that replicates the characteristics of railway vehicles in virtual space. Last month, when IEOS was applied to the KTX-Eum train during a demonstration test on the Gangneung Line, energy savings of 12.2% on the Seowonju-Gangneung section and 10.9% on the Gangneung-Seowonju section were confirmed compared to the previous system.

In particular, IEOS was developed based on the concept of software-defined vehicles (SDV). It can be implemented simply by upgrading the software, without the need to modify or replace train devices or components.

IEOS is also designed to ensure safety by integrating with signaling devices so that the train can stop immediately in the event of a problem. It is expected to reduce the burden on train operators and improve the consistency of railway vehicle operation quality.

A Hyundai Rotem official stated, "This achievement is significant as it enhances both the sustainability and safety of railway technology through industry-academia cooperation," adding, "We will continue to enhance our capabilities in various railway technologies, including energy-saving solutions, and contribute to the realization of carbon neutrality through ongoing research and development."

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