Virtualisation of the test environment for signalling

ERTMS is a well-known, well-performing technology applied all over the world but it still lacks flexibility when it comes to authorisation and certification procedures. The key of its success in the future lies as much in cost reduction as in simplification of placing in service procedures. This holds true for the implementation of a new subsystem and even more so for new software releases related to subsystems already in service. Currently the placing in service process of ETCS components and subsystems requires a large amount of tests due to the complexity of the signalling systems and the different engineering rules applied. The S2R Multi-Annual Action Plan states that the effort and time consumption of these onsite tests are at least 30% for any particular project. VITE research project (VIrtualisation of the Test Environment) aims at reducing these onsite tests to a minimum while ensuring that laboratory tests can serve as evidence for valid system behaviour and are accepted by all stakeholders involved in the placing in service process. This paper presents the first VITE results.