Alstom boss Sion sees a golden age for the railway through digitalization

Alstom boss Sion has a clear message to announce. The railway is not a metal relic from the 19th century. Rather, it is currently experiencing its fourth revolution with digitalization. And this means that “the train will enter a golden age”.

Golden age? Doesn't it currently look like a leaden era on rail, especially in Germany? After that, rail transport customers will have to wait a very long time for a bright, shiny era - if it ever comes again at some point?

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Anyone currently visiting Innotrans, the world's largest railway technology trade fair in Berlin, will see the bright side of the industry demonstrated. And it's not just Potemcian features that can be admired there. High-speed trains at 300 km/h, artificial intelligence and robotics in use everywhere, a new revival of the night train: this is an industry that doesn't want to be talked to death. The railway industry expects growth rates of more than three percent on a global scale. That is certainly something to be proud of.

There is still a lot to be done to ensure that the future is actually as golden as predicted by Alstom, one of the largest train manufacturers in the world. Of course, many regions around the world have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to rail transport. Orders are being placed diligently there, and train fleets are also being replaced in developed areas around the globe. That's the positive side.

But the rail industry has a lot of catching up to do – it knows that best. A study published on the occasion of the trade fair comes to the conclusion that the industry, with its long product cycles and the high level of regulation that inhibits rapid innovation, is seriously lagging behind when it comes to artificial intelligence. In the next three to five years it will be decided where the journey will take us - and who will move forward as a manufacturer or ultimately fall by the wayside. Ultimately, the fundamental technology of AI will shake up the traditional industry just like any other industry.

At Innotrans, first of all, confidence is mandatory. Shiny features are de rigueur in Berlin. But everyone knows: the most beautiful trains can quickly look very dirty in daily traffic.