A systems approach to developing a new metro for megalopoleis

Abstract

The significant growth in the size of cities has led to an increase in distances travelled that emphasises the systemic shortcomings of metros. Metro systems are hindered by a paradox between the time to access stations and the average speed on the line, which prevents them from offering competitive door-to-door speeds within the natural time budgets of users. The authors present a novel methodology that combines the back-casting method with a systems engineering approach to develop a robust problem-solving process that can cope with the uncertainty of future scenarios. The approach has been used to develop a solution to the paradox, that is based on an operational strategy where autonomous vehicles stop in different patterns at stations along a line. It is proposed that vehicles will travel in platoons and be controlled by vehicle-to-vehicle communication algorithms similarly to those in automated highways. Simulations show that this strategy can increase the average speed on a line by 129%, reducing door-to-door journey times by up to 45%, compared to conventional operations. Moreover, capacity is increased by 30% within conventional platform lengths. In conclusion, this process can lead to solutions that accommodate future demands and change current trends into more desirable futures.