ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Organ. Psychol.
Sec. Performance and Development
This article is part of the Research TopicAffective and Behavioral Dynamics in Human-Technology Interactions of Industry 5.0View all 9 articles
Remote Train Driving from the Driver's Perspective: Insights and Design Considerations for Future Control Stations
Provisionally accepted
- 1Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- 2Linkoping University, Linköping, Sweden
- 3Statens vag- och transportforskningsinstitut, Linköping, Sweden
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As the rail industry explores remote train operation, understanding the perspectives of train drivers is critical to designing effective remote-control stations. This study investigates how professional train drivers perceive remote train operation compared to traditional in-cab driving and identifies key design requirements for remote operator workstations. Using a mixed-methods approach, 15 licensed train drivers participated in experimental drives of a prototype train under both manual and remote-control conditions. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews, followed by evaluation of two interface prototypes developed based on participant feedback. Results show that while drivers generally preferred in-cab operation due to better sensory feedback and situational awareness, many recognized the potential of remote operation, particularly if interfaces are ergonomically designed, visually clear, and adaptable to various operational contexts. The findings underscore the importance of human-centered design in developing remote operator workstations that support ergonomic comfort, sensory awareness, and operational efficiency. Simplicity, clarity, and functional relevance emerged as key interface priorities, alongside the need to accommodate differing operational needs between passenger and freight train drivers. These insights provide valuable guidance for the iterative development of safe and effective remote train control systems.
Keywords: Remote train operation, Human-centered design, Train driver experience, interface design, Ergonomics in rail control
Received: 08 Jul 2025; Accepted: 24 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Thorslund, Babel and Rosberg. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Birgitta Thorslund, birgitta.thorslund@liu.se
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