Predictika · Rolling stock orders

An AI sales agent's FLIRT trainset order, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares an order for FLIRT trainsets: a variant, a number of units, cars per unit, speed, off-wire running, gauge, supply voltage, wheelchair spaces, delivery time and maintenance. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of these orders and returns a verdict, every reason and the totals it computed.

Scope: Orders for four FLIRT variants (electric multiple unit, Akku battery unit, H2 hydrogen unit and diesel PowerPack unit): cars, speed, off-wire range, gauge, voltages, wheelchair spaces, delivery, maintenance, stated seats and stated total. See everything this validator covers

This validator models FLIRT family trainset orders, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Variant, cars and speed — the cars offered for each variant, the top speed of each variant, and the five or six cars with the third powered bogie that speeds above 160 km/h need.
  • Power and range — the overhead supply voltage an electric or battery unit needs, the off-wire range of the battery and hydrogen variants, and the battery sizing review that sends longer battery runs to a person.
  • Delivery, maintenance and totals — wheelchair spaces, delivery time, maintenance years, large orders, and the stated seats and stated total compared with the computed figures.

Any FLIRT order that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: other Stadler products, signalling packages and spare parts. Public versus modeled: the variant names, car counts, gauges, voltage systems and main speeds come from Stadler's public data sheets; prices (thousands of euros), seats per car, delivery lead times, off-wire limits for the Akku and approval thresholds are modeled by Predictika from comparable rolling stock, are illustrative and are not published by Stadler.

The AI sales agentBuilds the FLIRT trainset order from the conversation and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

6 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
A top speed that depends on the variant and on the carsOnly with care
Each variant has its own speed limit, and speeds above 160 km/h also need five or six cars with the third powered bogie, so one rule has to read several fields together.		Variant, cars, third bogie and speed are fields of one order and are checked together on every call.
A range limit for battery and hydrogen unitsOnly with care
The off-wire limit differs by variant, and longer battery runs are neither allowed nor blocked but sent to a sizing review.		Variant and off-wire range are fields of one order; blocks and reviews come back together.
A supply voltage that electric and battery units needOnly with care
Whether a voltage is required depends on the variant, so the rule has to look it up.		Variant and voltages are fields of one order and are compared on every call.
Stated seats and total that must match the computed figuresOnly with workarounds
Seats depend on cars and layout, and the total on price, units and maintenance, so separate rules are needed to recompute them and compare with the stated figures.		The stated seats and total are fields of the request and are compared with the computed figures on every call.
Short delivery times and battery reviews that go to a personOnly with care
A separate approval path with its own thresholds that must not overlap the blocking rules.		Blocks and approvals come back together; an approval-only order is not blocked.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the order; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1The order has 0 trainsets; at least 1 is needed.
2A unit of 1 cars is outside the 2 to 6 cars offered for this FLIRT variant.
3A unit of 7 cars is outside the 2 to 6 cars offered for this FLIRT variant.
4A unit of 5 cars is outside the 2 to 4 cars offered for this FLIRT variant.
5An operating speed of 201 km/h is above the 200 km/h this FLIRT variant is offered for.
6A speed of 161 km/h above 160 km/h needs a unit of five or six cars with the third powered bogie.
7A speed of 180 km/h above 160 km/h needs a unit of five or six cars with the third powered bogie.
8The third powered bogie is fitted to units of five or six cars; this unit has 4 cars.
9An operating speed of 161 km/h is above the 160 km/h this FLIRT variant is offered for.
10An operating speed of 128 km/h is above the 127 km/h this FLIRT variant is offered for.
11An operating speed of 141 km/h is above the 140 km/h this FLIRT variant is offered for.
12An electric or battery unit needs at least one overhead supply voltage, because it draws traction power or charges its battery from the catenary.
13An electric multiple unit without a PowerPack cannot run 10 km off the wire.
14An off-wire run of 81 km on battery needs a battery sizing and charging review; a person should confirm.
15An off-wire run of 120 km on battery needs a battery sizing and charging review; a person should confirm.
16An off-wire run of 121 km is longer than the 120 km this variant is sized for.
17An off-wire run of 121 km on battery needs a battery sizing and charging review; a person should confirm.
18An off-wire run of 461 km is longer than the 460 km this variant is sized for.
19The 3,480 mm wide body is for broad gauge networks; a standard gauge unit takes a 2,820 to 3,200 mm body.
20An entry height of 549 mm is outside the 550 to 1,200 mm range of FLIRT entrances.
21An entry height of 1,201 mm is outside the 550 to 1,200 mm range of FLIRT entrances.
22An entry height of 760 mm needs a low floor section; a fully high floor unit cannot give it.
231 wheelchair space(s) is fewer than the 2 required on a regional unit.
24Coupling 5 units in multiple is more than the 4 the automatic couplers allow.
25Delivery of the first unit in 29 months is shorter than the 30 months it takes to build, test and approve a unit.
26Delivery of the first unit in 30 months is a short schedule; a person should confirm production slots.
27Delivery of the first unit in 35 months is a short schedule; a person should confirm production slots.
28A maintenance contract of 31 years is longer than the 30 years offered.
29The units are quoted without a maintenance contract; fleets of this kind are normally sold with long term maintenance, so a person should confirm.
30An order of 30 units is a framework contract; a person should confirm financing and production slots.
31Battery and hydrogen FLIRT units are in service on standard gauge only; a person should confirm engineering for this gauge.
32A unit with 3 supply voltages needs a special equipment layout; a person should confirm.
33The quote states 300 seats per unit; the car count and layout give 216 seats.
34The quote states a total of 100,000 thousand euros; the modeled rates give 142,500 thousand euros.
35An operating speed of 210 km/h is above the 200 km/h this FLIRT variant is offered for.
36A speed of 210 km/h above 160 km/h needs a unit of five or six cars with the third powered bogie.
37An electric multiple unit without a PowerPack cannot run 20 km off the wire.
380 wheelchair space(s) is fewer than the 2 required on a regional unit.
39Delivery of the first unit in 20 months is shorter than the 30 months it takes to build, test and approve a unit.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Electric FLIRT units: Seven-car FLIRT electric multiple units at 210 km/h with a short delivery time

    
The agent's request. Please quote 10 FLIRT electric multiple units of 7 cars each, for operation at 210 km/h and 20 km off the wire, on 1,435 mm gauge with 15 kV AC supply, with no wheelchair spaces, delivery of the first unit in 20 months and 30 years of maintenance, for 378 seats per unit and a stated total of 237,000 thousand euros. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Number of cars outside the range. A unit of 7 cars is outside the 2 to 6 cars offered for this FLIRT variant.
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  • Speed above the variant limit. An operating speed of 210 km/h is above the 200 km/h this FLIRT variant is offered for.
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  • Speed above 160 needs five cars and the third powered bogie. A speed of 210 km/h above 160 km/h needs a unit of five or six cars with the third powered bogie.
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  • Electric unit cannot run off the wire. An electric multiple unit without a PowerPack cannot run 20 km off the wire.
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  • Too few wheelchair spaces. 0 wheelchair space(s) is fewer than the 2 required on a regional unit.
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  • Delivery date not feasible. Delivery of the first unit in 20 months is shorter than the 30 months it takes to build, test and approve a unit.
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2. Electric FLIRT units: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 10 FLIRT electric multiple units of 6 cars each, with the third powered bogie, for operation at 200 km/h, on 1,435 mm gauge with 15 kV AC supply, with 2 wheelchair spaces, delivery of the first unit in 36 months and 30 years of maintenance, for 324 seats per unit and a stated total of 214,500 thousand euros. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Price summary. 324 seats per unit, price of 21,450 thousand euros per unit with maintenance, 214,500 thousand euros in total at modeled rates.
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3. FLIRT Akku units: Five-car FLIRT Akku battery units with a 130 km off-wire run

    
The agent's request. Please quote 10 FLIRT Akku battery units of 5 cars each, for operation at 165 km/h and 130 km off the wire, on 1,435 mm gauge, with 2 wheelchair spaces, delivery of the first unit in 48 months and 30 years of maintenance, for 270 seats per unit and a stated total of 212,000 thousand euros. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Number of cars outside the range. A unit of 5 cars is outside the 2 to 4 cars offered for this FLIRT variant.
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  • Speed above the variant limit. An operating speed of 165 km/h is above the 160 km/h this FLIRT variant is offered for.
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  • Speed above 160 needs five cars and the third powered bogie. A speed of 165 km/h above 160 km/h needs a unit of five or six cars with the third powered bogie.
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  • Electric or battery unit without a supply voltage. An electric or battery unit needs at least one overhead supply voltage, because it draws traction power or charges its battery from the catenary.
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  • Off-wire run longer than the variant range. An off-wire run of 130 km is longer than the 120 km this variant is sized for.
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  • Long battery run. An off-wire run of 130 km on battery needs a battery sizing and charging review; a person should confirm.
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4. FLIRT Akku units: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 10 FLIRT Akku battery units of 4 cars each, for operation at 160 km/h and 100 km off the wire, on 1,435 mm gauge with 15 kV AC supply, with 2 wheelchair spaces, delivery of the first unit in 48 months and 30 years of maintenance, for 216 seats per unit and a stated total of 178,500 thousand euros. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Long battery run. An off-wire run of 100 km on battery needs a battery sizing and charging review; a person should confirm.
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  • Price summary. 216 seats per unit, price of 17,850 thousand euros per unit with maintenance, 178,500 thousand euros in total at modeled rates.
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5. FLIRT H2 units: Five-car FLIRT H2 hydrogen units with a 470 km range

    
The agent's request. Please quote 4 FLIRT H2 hydrogen units of 5 cars each, for operation at 130 km/h and 470 km off the wire, on 1,435 mm gauge with 15 kV AC supply, with 2 wheelchair spaces, delivery of the first unit in 48 months and 30 years of maintenance, for 216 seats per unit and a stated total of 106,400 thousand euros. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Number of cars outside the range. A unit of 5 cars is outside the 2 to 4 cars offered for this FLIRT variant.
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  • Speed above the variant limit. An operating speed of 130 km/h is above the 127 km/h this FLIRT variant is offered for.
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  • Off-wire run longer than the variant range. An off-wire run of 470 km is longer than the 460 km this variant is sized for.
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6. FLIRT H2 units: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 4 FLIRT H2 hydrogen units of 4 cars each, for operation at 127 km/h and 460 km off the wire, on 1,435 mm gauge with 15 kV AC supply, with 2 wheelchair spaces, delivery of the first unit in 48 months and 30 years of maintenance, for 162 seats per unit and a stated total of 92,200 thousand euros. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Price summary. 162 seats per unit, price of 23,050 thousand euros per unit with maintenance, 92,200 thousand euros in total at modeled rates.
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent prepares an order for FLIRT trainsets: a variant, a number of units, cars per unit, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of these orders and returns a verdict, every reason and the totals it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
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  3. The agent says. Please quote 10 FLIRT electric multiple units of 7 cars each, for operation at 210 km/h and 20 km off the wire. It is ready to send. The rest of the request is on screen.
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  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
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  5. Blocked, with six findings, all in one answer. A unit of 7 cars is outside the 2 to 6 cars offered for this FLIRT variant. An operating speed of 210 km/h is above the 200 km/h this FLIRT variant is offered for. A speed of 210 km/h above 160 km/h needs a unit of five or six cars with the third powered bogie. The other three are on screen.
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  6. The validator returned six blocking findings in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the order are checked against each other.
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  7. What this shows: for a top speed that depends on the variant and on the cars, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the cars per unit to 6, the third powered bogie to yes, the speed to 200 km/h, the wheelchair spaces to 2, the delivery of the first unit to 36 months, the stated seats per unit to 324 and the total as stated on the order to 214,500. It removes the off-wire running.
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  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. This time the validator clears it.
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  12. All six earlier findings are cleared.
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  13. Six problems caught in one call, fixed in one pass, and a clean order. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    14.