The driving with intelligence conference

Until privatisation of the rail industry in the mid-nineties, drivers were often required to drive a multitude of varying traction and rolling stock types employing numerous types of braking and traction systems.

Traction knowledge often encompassed numerous classes of locomotive and multiple unit types and route knowledge was quite extensive, in many cases covering the full range of block signalling and signal types.

Traction units had their own particular characteristics and required different driving styles and techniques. Routes offered varying degrees of interest and even challenge with drivers often enjoying driving over some routes more than others. Until relatively recently, many routes were not even fitted with AWS and this offered a higher degree of challenge to drivers especially in poor visibility

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A great deal has been written about and discussed relating to driver distraction. However, there are two types of 'distraction'.

The first type is that which is totally unrelated to the task at hand (in this case driving) or indeed the general operating environment. A classic example of this is a mobile phone call which is answered by the driver during the course of the journey.

The second type is where the 'distraction' is related to the task of train driving. Examples of this are the traction unit developing a fault or the driver receiving a call over the in-cab radio communication system.

These should not however be regarded as distractions as they are all related, and quite often significantly important, to the operating environment. They should merely be regarded as just another input from an already existing, comprehensive range of information streams.

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During a journey...

During the course of the journey a driver observes, hears and feels a multitude of inputs and analyses all this information as part of the decision making process and to what action to take next (if any). This information includes for example:

• operating risks
• traction unit performance and behaviour
• prevailing environmental and railhead conditions
• line side information and signalling
• route geography and characteristics
• train speed, etc.

However, there are also a host of key influences which a driver must consider when determining the appropriate driving style and include, for example, the need to:

• maintain a 'right-time railway' schedule
• apply the appropriate defensive driving techniques and
• attitudes
• minimise fuel usage ('eco-driving')
• apply traction friendly driving techniques
• Apply passenger friendly driving techniques.

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So how do we connect 'Intelligent Driving' to situational awareness?

First of all, it's important to understand what Intelligent Driving isn't as well as understanding what it is. It's not about ensuring that all drivers have an increased level of intelligence nor is it about massively enhancing their overall knowledge or level of qualification.

Intelligence can be defined as having 'the capacity for understanding: the ability to perceive and comprehend meaning'.

This is exactly what is required of Intelligent Driving and applying the OODA loop as a situational awareness tool delivers this as one of its key components.

Intelligent Driving therefore is the ability to absorb a multitude of information streams, make sense of and relate the information to the current operating environment and circumstances and consider a number of key influences to determine the most appropriate course of action

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