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          • How to activate infrastructure stimulus through accelerated assessment
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          • GHD Advisory Delivers Landmark Rehabilitation Plan for Port Terminal
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        • Adani Carmichael Coal Mine Project
        • Changing the world in Toronto
        • David Kinniburgh named Regional General Manager - UAE
        • Designing a net-zero energy plan with the Australian Academy of Science
        • GHD Advisory supports BP Australia’s sustainable hydrogen feasibility study
        • GHD appointed to design new Navy facilities in Western Australia
        • GHD joins Australian Hydrogen Council
        • GHD Provides Social Distancing Solution to NHS Children’s Hospital
        • GHD to implement Digital Train Control for Cross River Rail
        • GHD is leading the way in Waste Management across Australia
        • GHD is taking the lead in the competition for future talent
        • Growing our natural resources expertise with addition of Niblett Environmental Associates team
        • Landmark UAE park named Education Project of the Year
        • Preparing Australian electricity systems for large-scale hydrogen production
        • Poll shows employees are uncomfortable returning to work without social distancing measures
        • Reinventing engineering for a rapidly changing world
        • Qatar field hospital designed from scratch in less than two weeks
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        • Transforming transport in regional South Australia
        • A balancing act: Getting to grips with biodiversity offsetting and mitigation banking
        • A message from Water for Women on International Women’s Day
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        • Auckland’s Lightpath cycleway takes the lead with prestigious award
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        • Strength in North America highlights our ability to serve clients and communities in uncertain times
        • GHD Advisory named Australasia’s #1 technical advisor for transactions
        • GHD’s new NZ leader focuses on high performance
        • Demonstrating our market leadership in Canada
        • GHD appoints Sheila Mistry as People Leader for UK
        • GHD Advisory strengthens UAE team
        • Developing a first-of-its-kind mangrove park for UAE
        • Global merger delivers integrated data-led consulting
        • New operations lead will help drive growth in the northeast United States
        • GHD helps Middle East clients address energy challenges
        • GHD’s Global Digital Leader moves to North America
        • GHD helps students to embrace Indo-Pacific opportunities
        • Collaboration to provide innovative new wireless stormwater monitoring solution
        • GHD welcomes National Strategy to support a thriving hydrogen industry
        • New beginnings: How Nivine re-started her career in Australia
        • GHD Digital’s Jacyl Shaw named ‘Microsoft Executive Leader of the Year’
        • GHD reinforces strategic focus in North America
        • New operations lead will help drive growth in the northeast United States
        • GHD partners with Galliford Try on Yorkshire Water Civils Framework
        • GHD celebrates 10 years in Papua New Guinea
        • Creating a single source of truth for digital data
        • Top honors for water engineer
        • Welcome Jim Giannopoulos as our new Executive General Manager, Canada
        • Engineering a new future for Melbourne’s iconic 1920s Capitol Theatre
        • GHD at the centre of Australia's hydrogen industry development
        • GHD at WEFTEC 2019
        • Rising to meet the challenges of an evolving environmental market
        • GHD rises higher in global design rankings
        • GHD transforms Queensland’s Daydream Island resort
        • Saskya Hunter named as one of Australia’s Most Innovative Engineers 2019
        • How hybrid energy will unlock the potential of Northern Australia
        • More than 100 GHD global technical leaders connect with government and business leaders in Cairns
        • GHD helps young professionals navigate their careers in the digital age
        • GHD and Australia’s gas import industry set milestone
        • GHD Advisory appoints leader for UAE
        • GHD provides remediation services to Clydebridge Chemicals
        • Showcasing Pacific development projects and partnerships
        • GHD and FCG combine to enhance client services in Northern Australia
        • GHD helps Sydney Metro Northwest project arrive on time
        • GHD internship cements passion for development work
        • GHD wins NCE100 Impact in Energy award
        • GHD ranks among top design companies in North America
        • Industry leader, Kurt Beil, joins GHD as Market Leader, Environment
        • GHD a winner in the 2019 RoSPA Awards
        • GHD Young Professional recognised by Institution of Chemical Engineers
        • GHD appoints new Operations Manager, Qatar
        • GHD Digital launches AquaLAB to transform how the water industry operates in the digital age
        • Demonstrating the value of inclusion and making it happen
        • The future of the UK water sector - interview with Stewart Tennant
        • From Iraq to Australia – Marvin’s career journey
        • GHD acheives prestigious safety certification in Ontario
        • GHD announces the appointment of new Regional Principal to lead the northeast United States
        • New GHD Advisory leader sets pathway for future growth
        • GHD doubles down on growth
        • GHD technical award recognizes groundbreaking project
        • Harnessing hydropower potential in the Philippines
        • Grantley Hall – Blending the old with the new
        • GHD strengthens its rail capability
        • GHD helps to improve connectivity and boost sustainable travel
        • GHD honored by the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce for employee engagement
        • Infrastructure event connects with European clients
        • GHD recruits transmission expert to inspire innovation in energy sector
        • GHD app design wins at inaugural NSW Roads and Maritime Services Innovation Network Initiative
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          • GHD Digital’s expansion into North America focuses on Digital Disruption and the Fourth Industrial Revolution
        • GHD Digital’s expansion into North America focuses on Digital Disruption and the Fourth Industrial Revolution
        • GHD wins Asia Pacific award for pesticide container management project in the Pacific
        • GHD expands its air and noise modelling capability
        • Looking back on the 2018 GHD Challenge
        • GHD appoints Simon Light as new General Manager for Europe and Middle East
        • Looking back on the 2018 GHD Challenge
        • GHD appoints Simon Light as new General Manager for Europe and Middle East
        • Special moments for GHD’s Spatial team
        • GHD wins place on YORConsult2 framework
        • GHD sponsors global interns as part of Australia’s New Colombo Plan
        • GHD recognized as one of Waterloo Area’s Top Employers for 2019
        • GHD receives industry accreditation for its commitment to developing young engineers
        • Advising on one of Australia’s largest infrastructure transactions
        • GHD announces new Transportation Market Leader for Australia
        • GHD appoints new Indigenous Services Leader
        • Our year in review
        • How to thrive on your career journey
        • GHD celebrates opening of Lake Jackson, Texas office
        • What happens when majestic wind turbines come to town
        • GHD sets benchmark for environmental assessments in the Philippines
        • GHD recognised as a carer-friendly employer
        • GHD engineers new neuroscience department at Monash University
        • GHD extends its global tunnelling experience
        • Wednesday is “Poppy Day”
        • GHD helps improve management of pesticide containers in the Pacific
        • GHD Digital and Orange Business Services deliver instant intelligent insights to Australasian enterprises
        • GHD helps return Blacktown Native Institution to Indigenous custodians
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          • Reducing Air Pollution - Guiding clients through the complexities of the Medium Combustion Plant Directive
        • GHD grows UAE team to help take client projects from masterplanning to reality
        • GHD to deliver Australian Sports Partnership Program to build healthy, inclusive communities through sport.
        • GHD and Olsson Fire & Risk join forces in New Zealand and Australia
        • GHD wins Bronze at International Water Association Project Innovation Awards
        • GHD appoints new Market Leader – Water in Australia
        • GHD achieves Silver Corporate Partnership status with Institution of Chemical Engineers
        • GHD partners with Jacobs for longest section of Australia’s Inland Rail program
        • Omni-Means officially adopts GHD name and brand following merger completion
        • GHD expands Intelligent Transport Systems capabilities
        • Part-time geologist, full-time dad
        • GHD Digital and Mindtree create platform-based services to cater for digital transformation
        • GHD wins Engineers Australia award for Brisbane Airport runway resurfacing
        • GHD grows in the global environmental market
        • Massive roof replacement project recognised for engineering excellence
        • GHD is responding to the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ and client demand
        • Championing diversity in the workplace
        • Global leader helps GHD transform client service
        • Global survey charts GHD’s growth trajectory
        • GHD appoints new Technical Director in UK
        • Five ways to celebrate Indigenous peoples and culture
        • Water for Women announces the first round of research award recipients
        • Tasmanian renewable energy leaders share vision for collaborative future
        • GHD’s suite of services helps a new mine to proceed
        • GHD Advisory’s Infrastructure Investment and Economics (IIE) services go global
        • GHD and Water for Women Fund celebrate World Environment Day
        • GHD provides continuity of service to Wannon Water
        • Water for Women Fund celebrates Menstrual Hygiene Day
        • GHD is bringing Paris to Doha
        • GHD wins NCE100 Excellence in Water award
        • New approach to defend infrastructure from cyberattacks
        • GHD boosts operational performance in UK transport sector
        • Proud to be LGBTI, proud to be GHD
        • Ten tips for returning to work after parental leave
        • Prestigious appointment for GHD’s chief counsel in the United States
        • GHD announces new Operations Director in Manchester, UK
        • GHD a winner in the 2018 RoSPA Awards
        • GHD helps improve transport infrastructure in Papua New Guinea
        • Trailblazer to lead GHD’s Canberra and Southern NSW business
        • GHD in New Zealand diversifies its business with the launch of GHD Digital.
        • Five technologies that will drive your freight forward faster
        • GHD expands in the UAE with new Dubai office
        • GHD stars shine at Engineering Excellence Awards
        • LNAPL clean-up guidance released
        • GHD recognised as top engineering company
        • Four inspiring pieces of advice from Jamila Rizvi
        • Groundwater discharges may become subject to the Clean Water Act
        • Engineering innovation secures civil engineering excellence award
        • GHD and the Regional Municipality of York receive OPWA award for technical innovation
        • PFAS New fact sheets provide guidance on emerging contaminants
        • When a talented photographer becomes a bridge inspector
        • World Health Day
        • Confirming our commitment to Waterloo Region
        • Global insight for Australia’s electricity networks:
        • GHD in New Zealand boosts its business to support growth
        • GHD grows security offering in Sydney
        • GHD recognised for supporting Defence reservists
        • Global industry leader in power substation design joins GHD
        • GHD to deliver concept design for raising Warragamba Dam in Sydney
        • GHD Advisory expands to North America to support asset owners
        • Top five ingredients for Badgerys Creek Aerotropolis to rise
        • A message from Water for Women on International Women’s Day
        • Six ways to position yourself for success
        • What SaaS tells you about MaaS
        • New Colombo intern discovers a new side to engineering at GHD
        • GHD expands to Guildford, UK
        • Client service helps realise world-leading energy projects
        • Shaping the Western Sydney Aerotropolis
        • Young design pioneer recognised at BIM Awards
        • Client award highlights GHD’s safety focus
        • GHD announces new Manager for Sydney
        • GHD is recognised as employer of choice for gender equality for fourth year in a row
        • GHD strengthens digital leadership
        • GHD appoints new Legal Counsel, Europe and Middle East
        • Smart Seeds grows fresh ideas for future infrastructure
        • GHD enhances services for Chinese investors
        • GHD partners with Sydney Water for drought relief
        • GHD says “Bula” to New Colombo intern in Fiji
        • Pushing the boundaries of BIM
        • GHD is part of the growth trend in the trenchless market
        • GHD boosts capabilities to support social sustainability
        • GHD strengthens hydropower capability
        • Water for Women Fund Commences - Request for Proposals for WASH Research Awards
        • GHD helps deliver Water for Women Fund
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          • Tech Sprint generates game changing solution to construction productivity problem
        • GHD strengthens Board diversity
        • GHD outlines the future of project management
        • GHD contributes to UK’s Northern Energy Task Force
        • Continuing to invest in future leadership
        • I-TAP NQ turns to fresh ideas for North Queensland’s infrastructure challenges
        • Force main replacement work wins ACEC award in Arizona
        • GHD announces Market Development Director for Europe and Middle East
        • GHD announces record performance
        • Insights from the Infrastructure Investors Forum Australia
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          • GHD’s laptop donation supports women’s health services in Wagga Wagga
        • GHD expands to Tauranga
        • Infrastructure and logistics expert joins GHD Advisory
        • Ecological restoration earns landscape architecture award
        • GHD recognised as a leader in the global environmental market
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          • GHD tops technical advisor league table
        • GHD recognised globally as a design leader
        • New facility preserves Australian history for the future
        • GHD expands contaminated land capabilities in Queensland
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          • Energy storage project opens new horizons for remote microgrid
        • GHD highlights smart solutions for the mining sector
        • GHD storms to the top at RICS Yorkshire and Humber Awards
        • Global role highlights how sport changes lives
        • GHD expands contaminated land capabilities in Queensland
        • Energy storage project opens new horizons for remote microgrid
        • GHD highlights smart solutions for the mining sector
        • GHD storms to the top at RICS Yorkshire and Humber Awards
        • Global role highlights how sport changes lives
        • GHD leadership appointments capitalise on New Zealand infrastructure trends
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          • GHD helps revitalise open channel with new parkland
        • Wastewater rehabilitation work wins project of the year in Arizona
        • GHD announces new Chairman and executive directors
        • GHD ranks among top designers in North America
        • GHD announces new UK leader
        • GHDWoodhead and Creative Spaces launch new brand in New Zealand
        • GHD enhances energy security in the Kimberley
        • GHD continues streak of outstanding waste management achievements
        • From dump to park: GHD helps turn environmental issue into Saipan’s new landmark
        • GHD expands asset management team in Auckland
        • GHD improves road safety on Pokeno to Mangatarata corridor in New Zealand
        • Digital transformation and growth expert joins GHD Advisory
        • Beaton Client Choice Awards
        • GHD earns recognition for innovative projects in York Region, Ontario
        • GHD and Omni-Means merge to expand transportation services
        • GHD helps realise landmark footbridge in time for Australian Open
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          • GHD Challenge brings together construction industry to support charities
        • GHD announces its largest office in North America
        • GHD celebrates 50 years of contributions to Canberra and beyond
        • Push to change flexibility culture for both men and women earns GHD gender equality recognition
        • GHD demonstrates inspirational consulting leadership
        • GHD celebrates outstanding public works achievements
        • GHD Advisory supports asset owners in a transforming world
        • GHD wins global award for Guam landfill closure
        • Engaging stakeholders for irrigation success in Australia’s food bowl
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          • GHD celebrates outstanding achievements in South Australia
        • GHD channels multidisciplinary skills for landmark irrigation upgrade
        • GHD switches on the tap for new water technologies
        • GHD recognized globally for Guam landfill closure
        • GHD delivers transformational engineering projects for WA
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          • GHD’s Power team boosts capacity in Newcastle
        • GHD helps realise outstanding project management achievements
        • GHD shines at New Zealand consulting engineering awards
        • GHD unites UK operations under single brand
        • GHD engineers named Australia’s innovation leaders
        • GHD continues global growth trajectory
        • GHD adds momentum to Sydney transport team
        • GHD and SMEC joint venture appointed as Independent Verifier for Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 2
        • GHD sustains performance in global environmental market
        • GHD helps realise a new health research hub for UAE
        • Auckland’s Lightpath cycleway takes the lead with prestigious award
        • GHD announces new leaders in Australia
        • Disrupting Auckland – new urban ideas take centre stage at Smart Seeds Showcase
        • GHD hits refresh on governance structure
        • GHD’s rail business gathers momentum with new appointment
        • GHD recognises client service at its best
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          • Auckland’s Lightpath shines at NZ planning awards
        • Creating a new gateway to Western Australia
        • GHD recognized among top design companies in USA and Canada
        • Leadership transition builds on GHD’s model of success
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          • GHD leaders pledge for parity for International Women’s Day
        • High five for GHD’s waste management team
        • GHD supports Arriva’s success as it retains London Overground concession
        • GHD names new Europe and Middle East leader
        • GHD’s water leader acknowledged for global contributions
        • GHD supports Arriva's success as it begins the Northern Powerhouse transformation
        • GHD Woodhead steps up in global rankings
        • GHD’s Defence business grows in Australia
        • Extended water partnership builds on a record of success
        • GHD acknowledged by Consult Australia for industry leadership
        • GHD strengthens focus on Defence project delivery
        • GHD recognised for digital leadership
        • Working together to help mitigate climate change in Ontario
        • GHD strides forward with gender equality
        • GHD engineer achieves unique certification in Guam
        • Toowoomba infrastructure project wins big
        • GHD people help reimagine Western Sydney
        • GHD helps realise artistic visions in Christchurch
        • GHD's young professionals support kids in care
        • GHD appoints transportation leader in North Queensland
        • CRA Europe adopts GHD name
        • GHD celebrates 10 years in Nowra
        • Engineers Australia commends GHD’s gender diversity focus
        • GHD steps up in global rankings
        • GHD boosts New Zealand business with high-profile appointments
        • GHD appoints Defence Leader
        • GHD’s CEO among engineering leaders
        • GHD and CRA complete integration
        • GHD improves human and environmental wellbeing
        • GHD and GHA Livigunn grow together in the UK
        • GHD helps deliver first shared street in South Australia
        • Sydney ideas bloom at Smart Seeds
        • GHD ranks highly in North America
        • Video showcases bridge replacement work
        • GHD presents water innovations in Adelaide
        • GHD enhances services for health and aged care clients
        • Graduates join consulting ranks at GHD
        • GHD celebrates 10 years in Toowoomba
        • GHD helps achieve tunnelling milestones at Grosvenor Mine
        • GHD helps realize award-winning Levi’s Stadium in California
        • Infrastructure innovation blooms with Smart Seeds
        • CRA celebrates 10 years as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies
        • GHD leads the waste sector four years in a row
        • Environmental accolade for GHD-CRA merger
        • Strategic appointment expands GHD’s Federal business
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          • GHD ranks highly for defence services
        • GHD enhances market presence in property and buildings sector
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banner-automation-in-rail.jpg

The shift to automation in rail

It's said that on the day of opening of the famous Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR), celebrated as the first public railway for fare-paying passengers, its first locomotive "Locomotion" was preceded by several men on horses carrying flags with stirring mottos in Latin, such as ‘Periculum privatum utilitas publica” (The private danger is the public good).

Many would argue that an undercurrent of risk and danger associated with mechanised transport continues to this day with the majority of accidents on road and rail attributable to human error and dangerous human choices. The rail industry has introduced automatic systems to mitigate human error such as the widespread application in many countries of Automatic Train Protection (ATP) and the more limited application or Automatic Train Operation (ATO). In recent years, the car industry has been playing catch-up with automated driving applications such as Lane Keeping Assist and Auto Emergency Braking and is now poised to make a game-changing leap forward to Autonomous Vehicles (AVs).

As we enter the fourth industrial revolution, significant advances in technology are again about to impact the rail sector in dramatic ways, prompting a myriad of challenges. The rail industry now has the opportunity to capitalise on this technology to bring about widespread automation of open rail networks, beyond the current limitations of segregated metros. Safety and minimising risk remain at the heart of these challenges.

The fundamental question is, “How does society enjoy the benefits of a cost effective, reliable and efficient transport system, enabled by widespread automation and ultimately autonomous systems, while maintaining and improving safety for all?”

There’s no doubt we live in exciting times for rail, with regular announcements of new systems and technology promising improvements that align with changing transport and modality patterns, and apparently, changing community expectations of service.

Most people would accept that automation in controlled and repetitive environments can be utilised to reduced costs and improve the efficiency of the transport task, as is exemplified by the increasing number of fully automated metros that operate in segregated environments with minimal variance.

Sydney Metro Northwest is the latest metro in the world and first in Australia to be added to the growing list of fully automated, unattended metros, achieving what the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) classifies as Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) - where starting and stopping, operation of doors and handling of emergencies are fully automated without any on-train staff.

However, as we all know, this is often not the case for mainline and light rail networks, where the environment cannot be absolutely controlled and rules are not always followed. This relates in particular to any interaction with passengers, road users, neighbours and the public, and in future, other automated/autonomous vehicles/systems. There is also a need to contend with changes in weather and degraded situations (flooding or heatwaves, for example).

Ultimately autonomous systems will be required to handle all these unexpected events on the rail network, using narrow Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is similar to autonomous vehicles, but while autonomous rail has arguably less variables, there are potentially more catastrophic consequences.

Most transport systems require a human driver to interpret real time information and respond to this information. The human driver controls the vehicle, following the defined rules - and most significantly, the driver or attendant can also respond to unplanned /unexpected events.

When a system is fully automated or autonomous on a network that cannot be absolutely controlled, how will the same (if not greater) level of real time information interpretation be achieved, and how does an automated or autonomous system decide what to do when a rule is not followed?

When managed correctly AI has the potential to significantly improve safety. However, to achieve societal acceptance, research from the autonomous car industry suggests that this may need to be about two orders of magnitude better than the average driver, likely necessitating both a high Hardware Fault Tolerance along with a high Safety Integrity Level.

Legislation will also need to keep pace, to establish minimum standards, while individual companies (suppliers and specifiers) should aim to exceed them when developing and deploying automatic and autonomous systems.

The systems that are developed will need to consider the sensors available to the vehicle and what information might be provided from the connected network. How will this information be interpreted? Will the vehicle follow simple rules or will it analyse the situation, calculating possible scenarios and choose the best outcome? And if it does, who determines what defines the best outcome – legislation, business or other?

Do our safety standards need to change?

Currently in Australia there are no explicit regulations covering automated driving functions for rail or road. The National Transport Commission (NTC) has initiated a project to develop a safety assurance system to support the safe, commercial deployment and operation of automated vehicles at all levels of automation. NTC released the Safety Assurance for Automated Driving Systems: Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) in November 2018. Although the safety assurance of automated rail vehicles is out of scope, it does provides some direction and clarity on the broader expectations.

However, rail (and aviation) already has a more flexible safety assurance approach that is less prescriptive than the approach taken in road transport. This approach has already facilitated the introduction of automated functions for metros and mainline railway train control to avoid or mitigate human error.

System safety is demonstrated against functional safety standards; this is the foundation for best practice risk management and assurance. Functional safety for railway systems is currently addressed by the standards EN50126, EN50128, EN50129, originally predicated on deterministic systems (based on the inputs the output can be predicted). In the event that the driving functions and/or train controller (signaller) functions and/or network manager functions and/or maintenance scheduling are devolved to autonomous systems based on artificial intelligence (AI), then the approach to functional safety standards and methods, will need to adapt. In fact, the guidance from the generic functional safety standard (IEC61508) is that AI is ‘positively not recommended’ for a Safety Integrity Level (SIL) greater than 1, and at SIL 1 has ‘no recommendation for or against it being used’. It is clear functional safety standards need to catch-up with technology advances.

The IEC, recognising this situation, is actively developing a new International Standard for a risk management framework for AI. Depending on the level of autonomy and the target functionality, future standards will need to consider various AI environments. These may include AI environments such as partially observable, competitive, stochastic and the appropriate tolerability criteria.

How do we make the transition?

In current systems, Safety Critical Application Conditions (SCAC) that cannot be addressed by technology are exported to the human domain and usually result in human tasks within a prescribed Rule Book. In autonomous applications all functions must be addressed by the system.

Organisations will need to be suitably resourced, managed and supported with technical and ethical regulatory guidance. A suitable approach is required with society with respect to the use of AI. A period of increasing AI support for drivers (semi-autonomous), with a transition over to AI driving (autonomous), will be required.

The expected approach is longitudinal testing (repeated observation), required for developing an inductive long-term dynamic safety case (‘proven in use’). Delivered through aggressive training environments that use training sets and test conditions that place the system in ‘extreme’ operating environments. Supported by in-service experience with a driver present to ensure AI algorithms are able to operate safety with the eventual operational demands. Where feasible, further techniques can be applied to constrain or control the operational environment (limit variability).

What do network managers/owners need to consider?

There’s no doubt that as we continue to move away from human driven vehicles, automated or autonomous systems will increasingly be required to handle any unexpected events on the network.

The methods employed to make decisions remains a significant and unresolved risk that all transportation network managers/owners will need to consider as we move into the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’.

Has the journey already begun?

Interestingly, Australia is leading the world in automated railway operations beyond the relative simplicity of segregated metro operations driven by the private sector for commercial considerations.

In Australia, the railway network is a core part of most mining operations and significant safety and productivity benefits can be achieved by migrating from manually operated trains to a fully automated system. At the beginning of 2019, Rio Tinto announced the successful deployment of AutoHaul technology for the automated operation of iron ore trains in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, creating what has been described as “the world’s largest robot”.

This system uses Automatic Train Operation over ETCS Level 2 (AoE) to support GoA4. This paves the way for the future progressive automation of passenger, freight and mixed traffic railway operations building on the core functionality of ETCS, augmented with semi-autonomous and autonomous driving and safety aids appropriate to the specific application, associated risks and the desired Grade of Automation.

What is clear is that in terms of automation there is a significant difference between automatic systems applicable to segregated environments such a metros, and the autonomous systems required for open networks.

It is important to establish a common language to distinguish between the characteristics of automatic and autonomous systems. To promote discussion, the following definitions are offered:

  • Automatic System: a system that performs task sequences based on pre-defined rules. The information required to understand the environment is provided to enable the system to undertake rehearsed actions (characterised as deterministic).
  • Autonomous System: a system capable of making independent decisions to respond to all cases in real-time, and in some situations without reference to pre-defined instructions. It must therefore manage the functions of perception, environmental awareness, and spontaneous decision making (characterised as stochastic).

Will autonomous road vehicles provide both the technology and the imperative?

Autonomous train operations on open networks will need to be equipped with sensors and algorithms that are very similar to those used in self-driving cars. Autonomous capabilities for trains operating on open networks are likely to become an essential response to the market disruption envisaged from the widespread adoption of fully autonomous self-driving cars, trucks and buses coupled with a continuing road pricing deficit that leaves significant unrecovered road system costs, in particular, favouring road freight.

The rail industry must also avoid technology fragmentation by maintaining standardisation/interoperability throughout the digitisation and automation journey. This will be essential to achieve longer-term cost effective solutions on a scale and refresh cycle that can compete with road transport and that builds upon existing or planned investments in train control technology.


John Cranley

John Cranley

National Rail Leader – Australia
+61 733 163 670
John.Cranley@ghd.com 

For more information please visit Digital train control

 


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Narrow AI is considered the only form of artificial intelligence that humanity has achieved to date, typically able to handle just one particular task.

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