Germany launches World’s First Self-Driving Train

WHY IN NEWS?

German rail operator, Deutsche Bahn and industrial group, Siemens launched the first automated & driverless train of the world on October 11, 2021.

About:

• The self-driving train was launched in the city of Hamburg.
• This train is more punctual and energy efficient as compared to traditional trains.
• Country has planned to add four such trains to the S-Bahn rapid urban rail network of northern city.
• These trains will start carrying passengers from December on the existing rail infrastructure.
• Other cities such as Paris have driverless metros on the other hand, airports often have automated monorail trains plying terminals. However, these trains run on exclusive single tracks while the Hamburg train will share tracks with other regular trains.

World’s first self-driving train

This project is being developed by ‘Siemens and Deutsche Bahn’. It is being dubbed as “world first”. The project is part of a 60-million-euro modernisation of rapid urban rail system of Hamburg. These automated trains will offer a reliable service without laying a single kilometre of new track. These trains can transport “up to 30 percent more passengers”. Besides improving the punctuality, these trains will save more than 30 percent of energy.

Who will run the trains?

Though the train is controlled by digital technology and is fully automated. But a driver will sit on the train to supervise journeys of the passengers on board.

Deutsche Bahn

It is a German railway company, having its headquarter in Berlin. It is a private joint-stock company. The Federal Republic of Germany is the only shareholder in the company. It is the second-largest transport company in the world. In the year 2015, Deutsche Bahn was the largest railway company of the world by revenue