Digitalization

Targets and management approach 22 Digitale Schiene Deutschland To the Strong Rail strategy44 Fleet and depot expansion To the Strong Rail strategy88 Strong admin To the Strong Rail strategy1313 Digital platforms To the Strong Rail strategy1515 Smart services To the Strong Rail strategy00 Environment and 100% green electricity To the Strong Rail strategy

Focus on the technology department

Our digital and technical strategy is designed to develop an ultra-­­smart mobility network by 2030 – networked, automated and customer-oriented. Travel should be self-planned and adapted to changing circumstances in real time in the event of deviations. These digitalization processes need to be understood and designed as a smart overall system – a long-term development in which we can define the three core activities of the Strong Rail strategy: complete networking, self-organized development and simpler use of mobility services for travelers. Digitalization and technology are the key to success for Strong Rail:

• Digital rail operations make us more robust, for example by using automated schedule planning and scheduling.
• Digital maintenance is making us more powerful, for example by using real-time transparency and more proactive planning.
• And the digital customer experience is making us more modern, for example by using more efficient travel chains and more intuitive booking options.
• The high availability of rail technology is making us more robust – by increasing the availability of infrastructure and vehicles.
• Flexible rail technology makes us more powerful, for example through the nationwide modernization of the fleet and infrastructure.
• Green rail technology makes us more modern, for example through emissions-free and environmentally friendly rail operations.

All of these initiatives will help steadily increase capacity, efficiency and quality. Implementing the digital strategy also requires a culture that supports ideas and plans for a new working environment, and inspires enthusiasm for new technologies and new forms of working (together).

The IT infrastructure is the basis for developing digitalization over the next few years. The digital infrastructure concept for Strong Rail comprises five components: connectivity, cloud services, cybersecurity, development platforms and data management. Connectivity is the most basic require­ment for data transfer and exchange, because a Strong Rail system needs high-speed communication. Cloud services help provide dynamic, scalable and on-demand IT services, because a Strong Rail system needs flexible IT resources. Cybersecurity will also continue to be professionalized in the future, because only a secure rail system is a Strong Rail system. The objective within data management is to provide tools and standards for the general use of all data within DB Group. The 2030 target is to have trained mobility sys­tems to detect, calculate and network automatically and to keep everything permanently up to date. Artificial intelligence (AI) determines the cycle for doing so. The vehicles are highly automated, communicate with each other, update themselves independently and report potential defects even before they occur – with new sensors, drones and robots.

With the project Schlagkräftiger@T (More powerful@Tech­­nology), managed by the Digitalization&Technology Board division, we intend to improve cooperation and cus­to­mer orientation in order to find the best solutions for the integrated rail system across divisional borders.

The division of the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) is responsible for digitalization at Group level. In 2020, this division created effective structures and data-based innovations and products, and was the driver for the digital transforma­­tion of DB Group.

The CDO Board serves to ensure the common objectives and work plan within the Strong Rail framework, as well as the digital and technology strategy, and regular exchange and progress review. This Board was established in 2020 and comprises all designated business unit CDOs and, in future, will also include those within the service units. The CDO Board also prepares decisions and focal areas for the Digitalization Board and reports regularly to the Customer Experience&Innovation (CXI) Board and to the Production and Digitalization Board on topics relevant to digitalization, innovations and data management as well as AI.

DB Data Intelligence Center

The DB Data Intelligence Center drives the DataOps project and the AI activities initiated in DB Group from under one roof.It leads the Data Council as aGroup-wide body for data and AI. It creates cross-business-unit frameworks and requirements to ensure data transparency and availability, as well as to ensure uniform data governance.