Article: Explore, Develop, Test: Innovation Lab for Automated Driving Established in Minden
(Minden, December 3, 2025) An important step towards further digitalization and automation in rail transport: An innovation lab for automated driving will be established in Minden by 2027. There, the Technischer Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe (TH OWL), Hochschule Bielefeld, Universität Bielefeld and DB Systemtechnik will jointly develop, test, and trial innovative solutions and technologies for fully and partially automated train operation.
In the innovation lab, automated, reproducible, and highly realistic tests will be conducted in the future, enabling the qualification and approval of various perception systems (e.g., sensor systems). These systems form the basis for automated train operations, as they are responsible, for example, for monitoring the track and passenger flows. The universities contribute crucial expertise in control, sensor, and automation technologies. DB Systemtechnik brings extensive experience in rail operations and vehicle technology.
Prof. Dr. Reinhold Decker (Rektoratsbeauftragter der Uni Bielefeld für Kooperationen mit der Wirtschaft, BRIC und Forschungstransfer), Dr. Hiie-Mai Unger (Vorsitzende der Geschäftsführung DB Systemtechnik), Prof. Dr. Anant Patel (Vizepräsident für Forschung und Entwicklung der HSBI), Prof. Dr. Jürgen Krahl (Präsident der TH OWL).
To rigorously test these systems, the innovation lab will be equipped with research and test facilities that can simulate realistic movements of passengers, bicycles, or animals, among other things. In addition, different environmental and weather conditions can be recreated, including snowfall, fog, rain, or varying lighting conditions. The joint goal is to create a platform that enables long-term knowledge transfer and innovative projects.
Dr. Hiie-Mai Unger, Chairman of the Management Board of
DB Systemtechnik: “One thing is clear: We need more digitalization and automation on the railways to successfully meet the upcoming challenges in rail transport. With the innovation lab, we are creating a shared space for practice and science together with strong partners. Here, we pool our expertise to develop and test safe, innovative, and practically oriented solutions for automated driving.”
Professor Dr. Jürgen Krahl, President of Technische Hochschule
Ostwestfalen-Lippe: “Automated driving is an important future field for sustainable mobility. It can only flourish in collaboration between industry and academia. TH OWL brings all its expertise to the innovation lab in Minden and is grateful to have strong partners at its side.”
Professor Dr. Ingeborg Schramm-Wölk, President of Hochschule Bielefeld: “The innovation lab opens up unique opportunities for us: For the first time, we can develop and test our systems under fully reproducible conditions. The testing of innovations, directly on real rail systems, aligns exactly with the application-oriented research at HSBI. This leads to industry-related research projects that significantly shape the future of mobility, especially rail.”
Professor Dr. Angelika Epple, Rector of Universität Bielefeld: “The rail systems of the future have the potential to become smarter, more flexible, and more sustainable. Automated driving can make a major contribution if technologies function reliably under all environmental and weather conditions. In this project, our researchers contribute recent developments in machine perception and intelligent control. Promising applications such as autonomous level crossings, automated boarding and alighting, or outdoor robots can be developed and tested here. The strength of this partnership lies in the combination of academic innovation and practical know-how.”
The project “TestingATO – Construction of an Innovation Lab for Automated Driving” will be funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (Bundesministerium für Verkehr) with approximately 11.5 million euros as part of the “Deutsches Zentrum - Mobilität der Zukunft” (DZM). The innovation lab is being built at the Minden branch of DB Systemtechnik, which will also take on the establishment of the infrastructure. Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe, Hochschule Bielefeld and Universität Bielefeld will each procure and install one test facility.
About the “Deutsches Zentrum - Mobilität der Zukunft” (DZM).”:At the DZM, competencies from science, industry, society, and public administration are to be bundled and contribute to mobility research at four research and innovation sites. Projects funded by the DZM intend to support digital innovations in mobility solutions, network research projects across disciplines, contribute to climate protection and sustainable mobility, secure technological sovereignty, and leverage the potential of digitalization.
The RailCampus OWL in Minden, as one of the project locations, is dedicated to future mobility systems characterized by increasingly automated and digitalized transport; in this context, research and testing infrastructure for alternative rail vehicles is being established.
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