Internal seminar: Emil Jansson

The railway sector being one of the most energy-efficient modes of transportation is not increasing its modal share instead, it is decreasing or at best stable. A high grade of automation could make the railway sector more attractive by reducing costs and increasing capacity and flexibility. However, that would also entail new challenges. Currently, driverless or unattended train operation challenges have not been described in detail. In order to fill this knowledge gap regarding the roles of the train driver delay logs written by train dispatchers from the Swedish railway network were used. The results show how often unplanned events occur in which the train driver is needed, and the role of the train driver in solving these problems. Six categories were identified in which an action by the driver is required: Detect, Report, Inspect, Adjust, Manage passengers, and Respond to train orders. In addition, an elaboration on existing grades of automation definitions and propose a revised model highlighting more aspects of the train drivers’ roles. The study illustrates that there are many challenges that must be met if driverless or unattended train operations would be a reality on the mainline railway system in the future.