Germany launches world’s first self-driving train – Know details

Germany rail operator Deutsche Bahn and German engineering company Siemens on October 11, 2021, launched the world’s first automated, driverless train in Hamburg city, Germany. It will join the S-Bahn rapid urban rail network of the northern city in Germany and will begin operations and carrying passengers from December 2021. The Deutsche Group has labelled the driverless train as more punctual and energy-efficient than the traditional trains. Four such trains will join the S-Bahn Rapid Urban Rail Network by December 2021 while using the existing rail infrastructure.

As per German reports, other cities in Europe such as Paris are already running driverless metros and the airports have installed automated monorail trains but those run on exclusive single tracks, unlike the Hamburg train that will share the same tracks as other traditional trains.

World’s first automated, driverless train in Hamburg city: Key Points

The project ‘world-first’ by Siemens and Deutsche Bahn in Hamburg city is a part of a 60 million euro ($70 million) modernization of the Rapid Urban Rail System of Hamburg. It will join the S-Bahn rapid urban rail network of the northern city in Germany and will begin operations and carrying passengers from December 2021.

How will the automated train run?

Though the train will be fully automated and controlled with digital technology, it will still have a driver to supervise whenever there will be passengers aboard.

Benefits of automated trains

Automated trains offer "a more reliable" service "without having to lay a single kilometer of new track", said Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz.

The Siemens Group aims to make rail transport more intelligent. Automated trains can transport upto 30 per cent more passengers, significantly improving punctuality and save more than 30 per cent energy, said Siemens CEO Roland Busch.

The Deutsche Group has labelled the automated train in Hamburg as more punctual and energy-efficient than the traditional trains.

Germany launched world's first autonomous tram in Potsdam

In September 2018, Germany launched the world’s first autonomous tram in Potsdam, west of Berlin. A team of 50 computer scientists, mathematicians, physicists, and engineers at the German engineering company Siemens had developed the tram.