Automated trains are also having their race, just as self-driving cars are striving to reach level 5 of complete autonomy, which has yet to be accomplished in any Eastern models.
The first automated train is presented in Germany
There are now autonomous subway cars operating in a few cities, but we’re not talking about single tracks here; rather, we’re talking about autonomous trains that will be able to operate on regular train tracks alongside other human-operated trains.
According to the CEO of Deutsche Bahn, Richard Lutz, these trains will not only be more energy-efficient than current models but also more punctual. They won’t require any additional infrastructure because they’ll be able to go where the rest of the globe’s trains are permitted.
These driverless trains will have 30% more passengers, so it may not be necessary to maintain the same frequency of trains as at present.
Even so, at least in the beginning phases, an operator may be on board to oversee the trip. The new line will begin as a 23-kilometer stretch of S-Bahn line 21 between the stations Berliner Tor and Bergedorf/Aumühle, with highly automated operation and four trains equipped with the required technology.
Let’s hope that they have emergency stopping solutions, and that they don’t leave the station if someone is trapped in the train doors, which happens frequently in everyday life when we rush to avoid missing the last train of the day.
