Passenger Acceptability of Teleoperation in Railways

Abstract

In this survey-based study, passenger awareness and acceptability of potential teleoperation services in the railway domain were analyzed. The literature on the important factors for the acceptability of automated transport was reviewed. These factors were adapted to teleoperation in the railway domain. An online survey was conducted for obtaining passengers’ views on automated rail transport and the remote control of trains. A choice-based conjoint analysis was conducted to obtain user preferences regarding a potential teleoperation service. Overall, the teleoperation system and its capabilities received positive feedback. While increased resilience and reliability of rail services were identified as potential opportunities for higher acceptance, safety and security concerns of prospective passengers were highlighted as influencing factors.