Page 162 - 360.revista de Alta Velocidad - Nº 5

Costa, Raúl. Villalba, Manuel.

1. The application of the upcoming standard on ATO over ETCS

1.1 ATO

Automatic Train Operation is widely seen as the next big boost for the productivity and
performance of main line railways. Automation has been used by metros for almost half a
century, and today the technology is well proven in this environment. Urban transit operators
around the world have been reaping important benefits, yet the number of main line applications
remains limited.
It is relatively straightforward to provide automation within a closed system, where the
trains are all essentially the same, with similar performance characteristics and a handful of
standard stopping patterns. But this is clearly not the case where fast and slow passenger and
freight trains must share the same tracks, sometimes run by different operators. Some form of
interoperable technology is needed, which as yet is not available off the shelf.
When discussing ATO, it is important to distinguish between the four grades of automation
(Table I), which require diminishing levels of human involvement up to GoA 4 which is fully
unattended.

TABLE I. GRADES OF AUTOMATION

Grade of Train Setting train Stopping Closing Operation in
the event of
Automation Operation in motion Train Doors disruption

GoA1 ATP with Driver Driver Driver Driver
Driver
ATO with
GoA2 Driver Automatic Automatic Driver Driver

GoA3 Driverless Automatic Automatic Train Train Attendant
Attendant

GoA4 Unattended Automatic Automatic Automatic Automatic

Being developed by the ERTMS Users Group, Unisig and ERA, the proposed architecture for an
interoperable ATO over ETCS is initially envisaged for GoA 2, retaining a driver in the cab.
2. ATO over ETCS

In the main line arena, ETCS offers a standardised ATP function as part of the architecture of
the European Rail Traffic Management System. This was originally created to achieve signalling
interoperability across Europe, but it is being applied more and more outside Europe, thanks in
part to the availability of most elements off the shelf from multiple suppliers.
It seems logical for any main line automation project to incorporate ETCS to provide the ATP
functions. But ERTMS is also about interoperability, and it will be essential to ensure seamless
operations across boundaries if the European rail network is to become more competitive
against other transport modes.
To ensure the maximum benefit from automation, similar system approach and interoperability

160 360.revista de alta velocidad