This paper considers the potential influence of automation in accident sequence development in future submarines. Human factors analyses of accidents in other domains which involve automated systems have identified a number of recurring themes that contribute to accident development. From one perspective the residual accident occurrence in systems which are progressively and increasingly automated is attributable to the human operator(s). However, it can be argued that automation has largely dominated the performance envelope of systems in areas which are completely functional and well understood. Thus, the human operator is given the more difficult area of the performance envelope and the transition from automation to human operator occurs at a time when the operator is likely to face the greatest challenge in both understanding and managing the system upset.
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