Adaptive vehicle control system

A method comprising:

• determining an operating parameter of a vehicle system;
• identifying one or more regions of a trip of the vehicle system for either a first mode of control or a second mode of control of the vehicle system based on the operating parameter;
• and
• automatically switching control of the vehicle system between the first mode of control and the second mode of control based on the operating parameter,
• wherein the operating parameter is one or more of a grade of a route, a cant of the route, a throttle change of the vehicle system, a difference in fuel efficiencies between automatic control and manual control, an availability of independent distributed power in the vehicle system, an availability of a battery charging station along the route, or an environmental or external condition.

A vehicle control system comprising:

• one or more processors configured to determine one or more of an availability of a battery charging station along a route of a trip of a vehicle system, an environmental condition, or an external condition to the vehicle system, the one or more processors configured to identify one or more permissible regions of a trip of the vehicle system for either a first mode of control or a second mode of control of the vehicle system based on the one or more of the availability of the battery charging station, the environmental condition, or the external condition, the one or more processors configured to automatically switch control of the vehicle system between the first mode of control and the second mode of control based on the operating parameter,
• wherein one or more of:
• the first mode of control is automatic control of the vehicle system and the second mode of control is manual control of the vehicle system;
• the first mode of control is local control of the vehicle system and the second mode of control is remote control of the vehicle system;
• or
• the first mode of control is a performance mode of control of the vehicle system and the second mode of control is an efficiency mode of control of the vehicle system.