UST: News

EcoTechnoPark object: safety and automated control system for high-speed transport complex

Safety and automated control system (SACS) for SkyWay transport complex on the whole and high-speed rail automobiles (unibuses) in particular is a highly intelligent computing environment. It is combined with communication systems, as well as with actuating elements and mechanisms. The system operates automatically, and operator presence on a unibus board for managing the high-speed vehicle operation is not provided. All functions of situation assessment and decision-making are carried out by this system.

SACS determines the safety level for both each unibus and a unibus flow, as well as for SkyWay transport system on the whole. It is capable of assessing permissible risks in a dynamically changing situation, at the same time taking the decision on their localization and prevention from possible threats for passengers on the module board and people outside the vehicle, as well as for the environment in a real-time mode.

On that ground, the architecture of controlling systems, capable of guaranteed detecting and eliminating the reasons of a possible threat, is formed.

The basis for the system makes a powerful calculating complex, which receives information flows on inner multi-channels and doubled communication channels. According to the assessment results on this information, SACS calculates the "route task" for each unibus individually so as to maintain a safe distance between neighbouring modules. These modules, in their turn, can independently take a decision to increase motion speed or to brake in accordance with the data from on-board information and controlling systems. Simultaneously, SACS monitors the transport infrastructure condition and is capable of responding adequately to traffic hindrances arising on the way (obstacles, unfavourable weather conditions, possible terroristic threats, etc.). One of the peculiarities of SACS operation is a possibility for each individual vehicle in the network to operate autonomously according to the intellectual algorithm of information processing. Decision-making is carried out depending on the logistic situation; it can be not only passenger, but also cargo transportation.

Apart from that, SACS carries out monitoring of its own state. It means there is going on the process of continuous control for passenger comfort level, cargo condition, working order and operability of power units, chassis, automatics, control work of components and mechanisms. According to the results of monitoring, the decisions are taken aimed at providing safe motion.

Each unibus carries out continuous information exchange with other unibuses participating in traffic. The formed information network allows to assess the environment not only near-by, but also in the whole region of SkyWay transport and infrastructure complex operation.

The completely automated control system provides significant reduction in operational costs for high-speed transport complex due to absence of necessity to employ, train, provide social services, constantly test and re-train a considerable amount of personnel, responsible for unibus control, operation at the stations, etc.

In addition, the control system loop is deprived of the whole range of unnecessary traditional sub-systems, connected with providing control for the taken decisions and the vehicle driver state. There is no need to give controls to the driver or to visualize the flow of telemetric information, which facilitates decision-making, etc. This also decreases costs for high-speed motion automated control and completely eliminates "human factor" risks.

Application of modern, unified communication standards allows to use typical solutions, certified in Europe and nor requiring additional coordination.

According to the information from the International Association of Public Transport, at present, 32 countries of the world use 48 completely automated systems of underground transport. Also, there are dozens of private systems for light-rail transport, for example, AirTrain - express to airport JFK in New York - or Hong Kong Metro in Disneyland. There is operating personnel in these trains, however its task is only to check fares and to provide passenger safety in case of emergency, if there happens a failure in the automated system. In 2019, it is planned to introduce similar trains in Australia, and in 2022 - in London.

Thus, automated control systems existing at present (used for transport system automation) can solve only separate task blocks, mainly within the framework of underground systems, and fail to cover the whole set of tasks for transport control. Therefore, the developed safety and automated control system is a highly intelligent result of long-term hard work of SkyWay Group design bureaus and has no analogues in world practice.

SkyWay SACS is multi-purpose, and in perspective it will look like an intellectual module-robot. It will be sold independently and will be able to carry out automatic control for any vehicle.

SACS application in SkyWay transport complexes will allow to significantly reduce operational expenses, including due to unmanned control, and to increase reliability and faultless performance of all systems, totally excluding the so-called "human factor". This allows to ensure reliable and safe operation of high-speed transport complex with thousands of simultaneously moving unibuses (and in the future - millions), as well as simultaneous implementation of all types of maintenance.

As a result, the highest degree of reliability and operability of all SkyWay transport and infrastructure complexes, the basis for which is the developed SkyWay SACS, will make it possible to:

save millions of people's lives on the planet due to elimination of millions of traffic accidents and disasters;

free billions of man hours from monotonous unproductive work on controlling millions of vehicles, using the labour in a more intellectual and creative direction.