New special interest group for rail transport

ODVA will form a new special interest group to evolve ODVA technologies for rail transport. Aimed at enhancing ODVA's specifications with services and device profiles to meet the needs of rail transport, the resulting standards are expected to provide a comprehensive solution for rail transport, encompassing on-board train controls, monitoring, signaling and demand-response. The formation of this special interest group reflects increased interest in ODVA technologies by OEMs in the rail transport industry. The strong business outlook for rail transport is driving increased investment by OEMs in information and communication technologies (ICT) such as the ODVA technology portfolio. ICT will be critical to the realization of improvements in safety and service in combination with market demands for increased rail capacity and higher performance equipment. The intimate connection of rail transport with key sectors of the economic ecosystem - industrial, retail, commercial, residential and government - mandates that future ICT implementations in rail transport adapt automation technologies that are open, interoperable and whenever possible, embrace the use of commercial off-the-shelf and standard, unmodified Internet and Ethernet technologies. All of these attributes are exemplified by ODVA and its cornerstone technologies, the Common Industrial Protocol and EtherNet/IP. "This is a new market sector for ODVA technologies, which ODVA is entering due to the interest of members," said Katherine Voss, executive director of ODVA. "As one of ODVA's vertical market SIGs, the Rail Transport SIG will provide a unique opportunity for leaders in the rail industry and information technology to collaborate for best-in-class, open and interoperable communication standards for the next generation in railway transport." The SIG is expected to hold its initial invitational meeting in the first quarter of 2011.