Edge computing with a container runtime on vehicle routers.

The Edge Compute Platform supports two container standards with different use profiles. OCI containers, often called Docker containers, are the lightweight default. They suit IoT applications, telemetry, sensor data preprocessing, and simple control applications with low resource demands. Startup times are short, memory and CPU usage are low, and they run stably even on embedded hardware with limited resources. Kubernetes containers (also called k8s) offer full cloud-native functionality: declarative orchestration, self-healing, and built-in scaling. They suit high-end applications with complex workloads — for example, orchestrating multiple interconnected services. For most in-vehicle applications in transit operations, the OCI variant is sufficient; Kubernetes is mainly used when existing cloud applications need to be moved to the vehicle with minimal changes.

From December 2027, the Cyber Resilience Act requires manufacturers and operators of connected devices to provide gap-free vulnerability management, regular security updates across the full product lifecycle, a complete software bill of materials, and 24-hour reporting to ENISA on actively exploited vulnerabilities. Containerized applications on a centrally managed platform cover these requirements structurally. Every container version is uniquely identifiable via image digest, updates are rolled out fleet-wide with logging, security patches can be targeted by priority, and SBOMs are maintained per image. NIS-2 requirements for asset management, patch management, and incident documentation are also covered by central control. CRA compliance shifts from a project topic to a routine operational feature.

In-vehicle containers use the established Linux isolation mechanisms: namespaces, cgroups, and capability sets. Memory, CPU, and network are clearly separated — one container can’t interfere with another or compromise the host system. Access to hardware interfaces like CAN bus or GPS is granted explicitly per container, never wholesale. That makes it safe to run applications from different vendors on the same router, with no vendor able to see into the others’ containers. Edge computing supports best-of-breed strategies without complex trust agreements between suppliers. For compliance requirements from ISO 27001, NIS-2, and the Cyber Resilience Act, the platform provides the structural prerequisites: unique version addressing, audit logs, and controlled interface access.

Auf Fahrzeugroutern lassen sich alle Bord-Anwendungen betreiben, die im Fahrzeug Daten verarbeiten oder Schnittstellen ansprechen. Typische Anwendungsfälle sind Fahrgastinformationssysteme, automatische Fahrgastzählung, Videoüberwachung mit KI-Analyse, Telemetrie- und Diagnoseanwendungen, Predictive Maintenance, lokale Datenvorverarbeitung von Sensorik und Bus-Daten, sowie VPN-Gateways und Sicherheitsfunktionen wie Intrusion Detection. Auch Drittanbieter-WLAN, Inventarisierung und Fahrzeugsteuerung über ITxPT lassen sich containerisieren.

Edge computing on vehicle routers offers transit operators four concrete benefits. First, consolidating multiple applications onto one platform sharply reduces hardware effort per vehicle by eliminating dedicated control devices. Second, central cloud orchestration dramatically speeds up software updates — no workshop visits required. Third, longer hardware lifecycles combined with decoupled software lifecycles lower total cost of ownership across typical transit contract terms of ten to fifteen years. Fourth, edge computing structurally supports compliance requirements like the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS-2, and ISO 27001 through unique version proofs, controlled access, and central security updates.

Edge computing means processing data where it’s generated instead of sending it to a central data center. In bus and rail operations, the processing happens directly on the vehicle router that’s already installed in every vehicle. With a container runtime like the Unwired Edge Compute Platform, applications such as passenger information systems, automatic passenger counting, video surveillance, or diagnostics run as containers right on that router. They’re isolated from each other and managed centrally from the cloud. For transit operators, that delivers three key benefits: less in-vehicle hardware, faster software updates, and simpler compliance evidence across the full contract term.