Around 60,000 of the new seats, which were developed with TU Darmstadt and have already been tested by 5800 passengers, will be fitted in the new ICE 4 and modernised ICE 3 fleets.
The second-class seats feature more space around the head and shoulder area, softer back and seat cushions with additional memory foam, less contours along the back of the seat, softer armrests and an additional 30mm of reclining movement.
Station announcements are also due to change, with new text-to-speech technology which allows smoother and more flexible messages. The technology forms words and phrases from individual sounds, which means words no longer need to be recorded as a whole. This enables individual situation and location-specific announcements to be made more easily. The system is expected to be installed in stations around Germany by the end of the year.
In a group-wide IT project, DB says it has been concerned with significantly improving the information available to passengers, and has developed a new traveller information platform (RI platform), which provides reliable information on all train and stop data.
An AI-equipped chatbot is being established for the bahn.de website and DB Navigator app, which helps customers with written problems. Using the chatbot saves passengers time by providing fast response times 24/7.
DB is also working on an individual train connection forecaster to reliably indicate to passengers whether they will be able to make their connections. The information is based on big data forecasts for arrival and departure times and a digital map of the station. This allows each route within the station to be calculated to the nearest meter enabling the required transit time between trains to be determined. The system will eventually include individual profiles for each passenger, providing personalised changeover routes visualised on a map.
The system is already begin trialled in Munich for S-Bahn services, and this will in future be rolled out for the Hamburg, Stuttgart, Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt Main S-Bahn networks.
Mobimeo has developed a mobile solution which provides tickets from multiple operators on one app or system, allowing passengers to choose the best option for their trip.
DB Travel Centre
As DB Travel Centres are increasingly having to answer more sales-related questions and take on more service tasks, DB has opened a new trial service area in Leipzig, where passengers can find answers to their questions at a digital help point or ask staff for help directly. Passengers with complex questions are able to talk to staff at four counters at the back of the centre.
