Our co-developed driver advice system is now on-board more than 4,000 trains worldwide

Trains across the world are running to timetable and arriving at their destinations safely using innovative technology developed by mathematicians at the University of South Australia.

UniSA is at the forefront of innovation in a partnership with TTG Transportation Technology, a leading international provider of rail technology. Researchers at our Centre for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (CIAM) worked with TTG to devise a train driver advice system called Energymiser.

The system continually calculates the most efficient way to complete a journey, accounting for track gradients, speed and power limits; advising the driver when to apply power, maintain speed, coast and brake, all whilst reconciling against the timetable.

In New Zealand, the CEO of Kiwi Rail Peter Reidy said, “The amount we’ve saved in fuel and dollar terms has been a revelation.” Similarly, after deploying Energymiser for just one year on its 125-train fleet, Arriva Trains Wales saved roughly 750,000 litres of fuel.

Energymiser is now in use on more than 4,000 trains across the UK, Belgium, Spain, France, Germany, China, India, Australia and New Zealand.

UniSA and TTG’s jointly developed product has earned multiple awards, including an Australian Export Award, NSW Premier’s Export Award and Australian Rail Industry Award, and put the company on track for global growth.

TTG Managing Director Dale Coleman attributes the success to its long-term relationship with UniSA. “Through this partnership with UniSA, and strong research funding support from the Australian Government, we have been able to produce technology and create opportunities that are now in demand all around the world... It’s testament to the fantastic academic rigour we have here in Australia.”