Europe’s Hyperloop Pioneer: The Groundbreaking Opening of the TUM Hyperloop Demonstrator

Special thanks to Buket Kurtulus for attending this event and providing the images and copy for this blog post.

On July 26, the TUM Hyperloop Team celebrated a significant opening: Europe’s first functional hyperloop segment with passenger function. In the presence of Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder and Bavarian Minister of Science Markus Blume, the team presented a historic step towards a newly designed future of transportation.

The vision of the Hyperloop, first introduced by Elon Musk, has transformed from an idea into a promising reality. The TUM Hyperloop Team, which has achieved four wins in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition, proudly presented their own test track. The introduced 24m-long test track was developed with three clear goals. First, it enables comprehensive testing of critical key systems to ensure the safety and efficiency of the Hyperloop. Second, it serves as a construction site for Europe’s first full-size test segment, which is to test Hyperloop technology under realistic conditions. And third, the test track meets the certified safety standards, which are essential for future passenger operations. For the latter, the TUM Hyperloop Demonstrator was certified with TÜV SÜD, making it the first organization in Europe to be certified for a Hyperloop test segment for passenger operation.

One supporter of the TUM Hyperloop team is Siemens Digital Industries Software. Through its academic program, Siemens works with universities and academic institutions to promote research, innovation, and knowledge exchange. By providing access to software solutions, such as Siemens NX, it enables ambitious students to turn their visions into reality. The collaboration with the TUM Hyperloop team is an example of the cooperation between industry and science. As part of the project, Siemens NX proved to be a valuable tool for product design, construction, and manufacturing of the demonstrator.

However, this successful opening only marks the beginning of an exciting journey. The TUM Hyperloop Team has ambitious plans to further develop this technology. The next step is the completion of a 1km-long test track that will allow the public to experience the Hyperloop first hand. Furthermore, additional components are to be developed, such as a high-speed switch and an airlock. The airlock is intended to allow passengers to enter and exit in vacuum conditions. The step after that is to create a reference route on which Hyperloop technology will be deployed in a real-world application.

To learn more about how Siemens Digital Industries Software collaborates with universities, check out the Academic & Startups blog or the Innovation in the Classroom podcast. To learn more about Siemens NX and its capabilities, click here.