Major Milestones
Localizing Railway Industry Technology
Public transportation has long been a vital means of travel for people in Taiwan. Since the 1980s, ITRI has upgraded Taiwan’s public transportation with technology. For instance, it used information and communications technology to transform Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA)’s complex ticketing system into an electronic one accessible on computers and the Internet. This marked the beginning of public service system computerization in Taiwan. In 1997, ITRI utilized advanced materials to assist TRA in laying geotextiles and preventing railway subsidence. After the opening of the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR), ITRI continued to leverage various technologies such as chemical, material and mechanical engineering, and information and communications technology to ensure smooth communication, cabin antifouling, and operational safety. In 2007, ITRI successfully developed a water-based, transparent antifouling glass coating technology for use in the carriages of TRA, THSR, and Metro Taipei.
In 2019, ITRI and Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) collaborated to develop Taiwan’s first Bogie Running Tester, which strengthened the operational safety of the rail system and promoted the localization of Taiwan’s railway industry. In 2021, ITRI integrated technologies such as machinery, information and communications, materials science, and electronics to develop alternative components, elevating track maintenance capacity and lowering maintenance costs. At the same time, ITRI introduced track measurements and material analyses to enhance testing and verification capabilities for railways. Besides, ITRI developed subsystems, circuit boards, and maintenance equipment for locally producing car components and machine factory equipment for TRA and THSRC.
In response to the domestic demand from rail industry, ITRI undertook the light rail vehicle door system enhancement research project from the Railway Bureau in 2021, with the goal of developing a light rail railway door system that meets international safety standards. ITRI proposed a product development plan for the double-door outward-opening electric sliding door, including its mechanism, body structure, controller, and system integration. The entire design process must comply with reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety requirements and be supervised by a third-party agency. The plan is to establish complete localized design, manufacturing, production, maintenance, and supply of railway doors by Taiwanese companies. It can drive the upgrading of related industry chains and the localization of railway systems, supporting manufacturers stepping into the global market in the future.
ITRI completed the design and manufacturing of a computer-based reservation and ticketing system at the request of the TRA, marking the beginning of computerizing a public service.
ITRI developed an automated ticketing and reservation system for TRA, an automated monitoring system for Linkou Brewery, and an automated winemaking system for Taipei Brewery, making large-scale system engineering accessible on computers and the Internet.
ITRI and TRA jointly initiated a geotextile demonstration project spanning approximately 200 meters long to prevent railway subsidence.
ITRI developed a water-based, transparent antifouling coating material for glass. It was introduced to TRA, THSRC, and Metro Taipei for carriage antifouling treatment, significantly reducing their cleaning costs.
ITRI completed the world’s first WiMAX system for high-speed rail travel. A total of 94 WiMAX base stations were built along the THSR stations from Taipei to Zuoying, providing Wi-Fi Internet services to passengers.
ITRI developed worlds’s first WiMAX broadband integrated service for Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR).
ITRI worked with Ericsson on wireless backhaul in the THSR mobile network and small cell network technology inside carriages, offering an Internet bandwidth of over 50 Mbps while the train travels at a speed of 300 km/h.
THSRC commissioned ITRI to conduct research on the train-based wireless axle box temperature monitoring system to reduce temperature sensor failures and operation delays.
ITRI and THSRC codeveloped Taiwan’s first Bogie Running Tester, strengthening the operational safety of the THSR and promoting the localization of Taiwan’s railway industry.
ITRI signed a letter of intent with TRA, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, and National Taipei University of Technology to develop, test, and maintain components and equipment as well as provide trainings to personnel, thus promoting the localization of the railway industry.
ITRI undertook the Railway Bureau’s project to develop high-safety light-rail doors, facilitating the local production of domestic railway systems.
