German Aerospace Center (DLR)

DLR is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. In addition to its own research, as Germany’s space agency, DLR has been given responsibility by the federal government for the planning and implementation of the German space programme.

DLR has approximately 8000 employees at 20 locations in Germany: Cologne (headquarters), Augsburg, Berlin, Bonn, Braunschweig, Bremen, Bremerhaven, Dresden, Goettingen, Hamburg, Jena, Juelich, Lampoldshausen, Neustrelitz, Oberpfaffenhofen, Oldenburg, Stade, Stuttgart, Trauen, and Weilheim. DLR also has offices in Brussels, Paris, Tokyo and Washington D.C.

DLR’s mission comprises the exploration of Earth and the Solar System and research for protecting the environment. This includes the development of environment-friendly technologies for energy supply and future mobility, as well as for communications and security. DLR’s research portfolio ranges from fundamental research to the development of products for tomorrow. In this way, DLR contributes the scientific and technical expertise that it has acquired to the enhancement of Germany as a location for industry and technology. DLR operates major research facilities for its own projects and as a service for clients and partners. It also fosters the development of the next generation of researchers, provides expert advisory services to government and is a driving force in the regions where its facilities are located.

About 170 scientists from various fields like engineering, psychology and computer sciences research and develop for automotive and railway systems as well as for public transport and traffic management in the Institute of Transportation Systems at the sites Braunschweig and Berlin. With this research they make a contribution to increasing safety and efficiency of road and railway traffic. In interdisciplinary teams they design, develop and evaluate solutions for human-centred driver assistance systems, traffic surveillance and management as well as for automation, disposition and train control in rail traffic. While doing so, they keep the demands and impacts within the whole traffic system in mind. The close cooperation between the institutes and facilities of the DLR enables synergies between aviation, aeronautics and energy management.

Today under the direction of Prof. Dr. Katharina Seifert, the Institute of Transportation Systems was founded in 2001 and has grown immensely ever since, constantly strengthening its research activities. The scientists cooperate with partners and customers from economy, science and politics on a national and international basis.

The institute’s work has been ISO 9001:2008 and VDA 6.2 certified for its quality. In addition, the railway laboratory RailSiTe has been ISO 17025 certified as test laboratory for conformity and interoperability of ETCS subsystems and components.