This month, we started a new Ph.D. program with a new graduate student together with SNCF, the French railway system. Very interesting topic on model-based human systems integration (MB-HSI). A very complex problem to solve on the integration of people and organizations in increasingly autonomous railway systems. 

We would like to make trains more autonomous, using sensors, radars, artificial intelligence and HSI. We want to anticipate the train of the future (2040-2050). Will to create trains assisted by smarter systems involving artificial and human intelligence (that results in difficult function allocation and tangibility issues). Operational efficiency will depend on the right integration of heterogeneous systems. We are looking for the expansion of use contexts, which requires new analysis processes, situation awareness functions, decision-making support and action taking procedures, leading to new emerging human roles. At the same time, connectivity increases, and huge amounts of information must be processed. Since actors’ roles change, workplaces will also change. Consequently, resulting human factors must be studied.

The following questions should be better formulated and further answered: what is the scope of the system to be considered? What elements do we need to integrate into the cockpit to manage the system safely, efficiently, and comfortably? What methodology for the design of a good human-autonomy teaming? What are the rules of coordination between people and these new machines? How to create a human-machine symbiosis where the machine assists the human operator in his new role of system manager and where a true relationship of trust is established? How to integrate a new philosophy while maintaining the current principles of authority? How to free humans from repetitive and basic tasks? What is the right level of information for the people involved? How can we reduce the cognitive load of people involved and increase their situation awareness? How can we optimize physical and figurative tangibility, as well as ultimately trust and collaboration.