Freeway Management and Operations Handbook

Description of Figure 14-8: Machine and Human Sharing of Functions

This chart shows the continuum of operator roles divided into four major regions, increasing from no equipment in the loop to increasing use of automation, to no operator in the loop.

The four regions and definitions are as follows:

• Direct Performer Region
  • Human Closes Loop
  • Control Loop Components Are Predominantly Human
• Direct Controller Region
  • Human Closes Loop
  • Control Loop Components Are a Mixture of Human and Machine
• Supervisory Controller Region
  • Human or Machine Closes Loop
  • Control Loop Components Are Predominantly Machine
• Executive Controller Region
  • Machine Closes Loop
  • Control Loop Components Are Machine Only
  • Human May Start or Stop Function