France’s railways to run semi-autonomous from 2023
Every mode of transportation is going autonomous, and the railways will be no different.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2017) 'France’s railways to run semi-autonomous from 2023', 311 Institute, 20 July. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/frances-railways-to-run-semi-autonomous-from-2023/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
The French national railway company, SNCF, has announced that it has begun working on semi-autonomous high speed trains that will top out at 300km/h, and it hopes to have a working prototype by 2019, and then a final production version in operation by 2023.
The company, which was founded in 1938 and owned by the French government, was also quick to state that there will be still be actual people manning the trains.
"On the high speed routes, we are aiming for automation in the sense of automatic steering as in aircraft. In aircraft, you always have a driver, fortunately, but you have an automatic steering system," says Matthieu Chabanel who’s running the project.
Do you think we should tell him that Boeing is looking at taking that final pilot out of the cockpit or let him find out when he reads about it on this blog? It seems a shame to burst his bubble, or buble as they say in France…
Anyway… the goal of the new program is to improve the regularity and consistency of SNCF’s trains, especially in the crowded Paris region, and as any commuter familiar with rail travel can tell you even the slightest delay can have a big impact on a rail operators service, something that I find ironic as I’m sitting on the floor next to the toilet of an over crowded South East Rail train after leaving London today.
"We are going to go from 180 seconds to 108 seconds between two trains," says Alain Krakovitch, the director of the SNCF Transilien network, "up to 25 percent more trains can travel on a line with autonomous trains with the help of autonomous braking and acceleration. A human driver will still deal with unexpected situations, the type that can lead to crashes.”
While the SNCF might be the first railway in the world to incorporate automation, Chanbanel wants to throw water on the idea that the company is cutting edge or experimental. Do I hear the marketing department on the phone there? Ha.
"The goal," he says, "is to have something that corresponds to the clients need. It is not to make dreams of engineers."
So sorry engineers, no Hyperloop for you… unless that is you’re planning on riding the Hyperloop that Dubai are going to building out in 2021.
What this means for your organisation
Automation targets capacity first.
SNCF wants to cut the gap between two trains from 180 seconds to 108 seconds. It says up to 25 percent more trains can run on a line with autonomous braking and acceleration. The aim is regularity and consistency, especially in the crowded Paris region.
Humans stay in the loop.
The project lead describes automatic steering as in aircraft, with a driver still on board. A human driver will deal with unexpected situations, the type that can lead to crashes. Our data on autonomous aircraft shows the same pattern, with pilotless cargo planes and single-pilot jets edging forward.
Plan for a staged rollout.
SNCF hopes for a working prototype by 2019 and a production version in operation by 2023. Our data marks job automation as Act now, with wide use by 2027. Leaders should treat automation as a series of steps, each tied to a clear operational gain.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Where does a small delay cost our operations the most?
- Which tasks could be automated while a person handles the unexpected?
- How would we train and staff for automation that keeps people in charge?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Every mode of transportation is going autonomous, and the railways will be no different.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
What future do you need to see?
Choose one to get started on transport and mobility and the future of your organisation.
Sources and further reading
- SNCF sncf.com
- Sncf le train sans conducteur bientot sur les rails en france 2236131 francetvinfo.fr
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 20 July 2017. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2017). France’s railways to run semi-autonomous from 2023. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/frances-railways-to-run-semi-autonomous-from-2023/
You are welcome to quote this article with credit and a link to the original.