ATO OVER ETCS: A SYSTEM ANALYSIS FOR FREIGHT TRAINS

Abstract

Automatic train operation under the supervision of a human driver is sometimes presented as a first step toward autonomous trains. This paper provides a system analysis of the available norms dealing with automatic train operation under driver supervision. Clarifications that have to be introduced to make it compatible with an autonomous train module are highlighted. Then, the work focuses on the collaboration between an automatic software for braking and accelerating in the European normative and technological context, known as ATO over ETCS. The study of the available documents allows proposing an architectural model of this global system containing on board automation and on track automated specific devices. The main motivation behind using this technical architecture is to trace a future implementation that preserves the high-level goals. This technical contribution is a first step for building an integrated approach to specify a correct system by construction, conforming to the industrial norms of automated train. In this paper, we explain how it is relevant to use a norm based technical architecture, providing intellectual references that allows drivers to identify various functioning phases where, depending on the overall context, they can let an automatic system drive the train or not.