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Effects of expertise for automatic train operations

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Abstract

The aim was to investigate the effects of automatic speed control and expertise on train driver performance in unexpected, degraded operations in the railway domain. Research from other domains suggested increasing levels of automation to exert detrimental effects on human performance in degraded operations. In addition, research about the effect of expertise on performance in different levels of railway automation was scarce. Reaction times of 26 train drivers to critical events in a high-fidelity railway simulator featuring manual and automatic speed control were assessed. Participants showed longer reaction times in degraded operations under automatic speed control. Results on the influence of expertise were insignificant and methodologically discussed to enable further research. These results highlight performance consequences of automatic speed control in railway operations and offer first insights on how existing expertise needs to be taken into account when introducing automatic speed control into the railway domain.

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  1. German Aerospace Center, Lilienthalplatz 7, 38108, Brunswick, Germany

    Niels Brandenburger & Meike Jipp

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  1. Niels Brandenburger
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  2. Meike Jipp
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Correspondence to Niels Brandenburger.

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Brandenburger, N., Jipp, M. Effects of expertise for automatic train operations. Cogn Tech Work 19, 699–709 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-017-0434-2

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