DB Cargo’s new loco prototype
DB Cargo and Bosch subsidiaries are developing a fully-automated shunting locomotive for series production.
The system will be deployed nationwide from 2028, following successful prototype trials at the Munich north marshalling yard and approval by Germany’s railway authority, expected in late 2027.
The new technology is designed to automate shunting operations, improving the efficiency of wagon sorting and train assembly. It is part of DB’s broader S3 restructuring programme to boost operational quality.
Bosch Engineering is developing the autonomous control unit with environment sensors and algorithms, while ITK Engineering is building the infrastructure-based operator interface for managing remote driving commands.
The project is supported by Germany’s future railfreight programme. (js)