Siemens Mobility and Deutsche Bahn (DB) recently presented the world’s first train that operates by itself in rail traffic in Hamburg, Germany. The companies and Hamburg have invested $69.2 million to develop the digital S-Bahn Hamburg, which is part of DB’s Digital Rail Germany project.
The fully autonomous train is controlled via radio, although a driver remains on the train to supervise the journey with passengers on board. Tasks, such as turning around, are done without on-board personnel.
The S-Bahn had its premiere run during the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress, a global showcase for the future of mobility, this week. Four trains operated automatically along a 14.3 mile section of S-Bahn Line 21.
Starting in December, the trains will provide regular scheduled passenger service. There are plans to digitalize the entire system by the end of the decade.
“With our technology, our customers can transport up to 30 percent more passengers, significantly improve punctuality and save more than 30 percent energy,” Dr. Roland Busch, Siemens AG CEO, said. “The digital S-Bahn Hamburg marks a world premiere. The new technology has already been officially approved and, since it features open interfaces, can immediately be used by operators worldwide for all types of trains.”