e partially relieved by hiring more operators (cost-ineffective and time consuming training required), automation seems to be the bestsolutionin order to maximise the operational performance of current railway systems.Unattended operated trainsrefer to driverlesstrainscontrolledremotely by laser detectors (to pick up the smallest movement on tracks), electronic systemsand advanced control algorithms. Nowadays, all newly constructed railway systemsintegrates certain level of automation, witha considerable part of the modern transportation systemsequipped withadvanced fully automation technologies. The unattended train operation (UTO) systemshowed a variety of unparalleled advantages compared with traditional manual operation, including better time accuracy, optimized energy consumption, reduced on-board staff(if not none staff) and computerised failure detection(Grogan, 2012). In a UTO system, thetrain operation (including the operation of train's motors, brakes and doors) is fully automated, which allows a consistent driving mode. As a result, the running time is highly predictable and the time accuracy can be greatly enhanced. On the other hand, theconsistent driving enables the optimization of energy consumed by the trains. Also, the train can be operated with minimized or even no staff on-board. Additionally, the failure detection will be executed automatically at any time, which means the conditions of trains are monitored in real time.
The implementation of UTO system is definitely a revolutionary technology advance in the rail transportation industry, resulting in great opportunities for future railway systems with enhanced time control, energy conservation and safety control. Nevertheless, threats associated with the UTO system (in terms of technological challenges, human interactions and system reliability) are also foreseen and solutions are necessary for the system before further promotion ofthe UTO system in the rail transport industry.In the next session, threats associated with the fully automated train operation system are discussed, together with possible solutions proposed by the author.
The potential threats associated with the UTO system of railway trains include increasedunemployment in short term, fatal accidents due to technological designs or system failures and degradation in passenger experience in the journeys(Morar, 2010, Calle-Sanchez et al., 2013).The first and very immediate threat to the society is the increased unemployment in short termas a result ofthe reduction of on-board staff. According to statistics of 2014, full automation of train operation will result in the elimination of 10,000 positions in the British railway system. To minimize the negative effects of UTO implantation, several measures shall be taken. First of all, the implantation should be executed gradually to allow smooth dismissal of relevant employees.Then, a detailed timeline should be released as soon as possible so that current employees can start job hunting early.Last but not least,professional trainings should be provided by the government to help employees shift to other jobs.The second threat comes from the risks related to system reliability. Despite the fact that all automation systemsarewell-designed and tested for million times in various situations before implantations, system failures have not been completely eliminated. For unattended trains travelling at high speeds, any tiny failure of the operationsystem
