Preface

摘要

The 17th International Conference on Automated People Movers and Automated Transit Systems was held at the Chicago Marriott Downtown Hotel on the Magnificent Mile, in the heart of downtown Chicago. The conference theme was Automated Transit for Smart Mobility. Chicago has always been a global hub for transportation. From the earliest explorers who arrived by ship, through the development of the U.S. passenger and freight railroad network and public transit system, to the role that the Chicago O'Hare International Airport played in air travel, Chicago is a city built around transportation. It is difficult to say what the future of transportation will be, whether it is automated urban rail transit lines, autonomous transit vehicles, or other new technologies, it is safe to say Chicago will have a key role in future transportation. The decision to hold the conference in Chicago was partly based on the opportunity for attendees to learn about and visit the new modernized and expanded Airport Transit System (ATS) at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Over the past few years several multi-billion dollar projects have been undertaken or are on-going to modernize and expand the airport to serve future needs. One the projects is the automated people mover which originally opened in 1993 as a 2.5 mile (4 km) long system that connected the four terminals with remote parking lots. The ATS project includes replacement of the original vehicles, upgrading the infrastructure, and extending the line to a new multi-modal facility for rental cars and connections to Metra, the Chicago regional commuter rail system.