Beijing (June 9, 2017) China has unveiled the world’s first rail-less and self driving train in zhuzhou, in the Hunan province of central china.
The self-driving train, which is 30 meters in length, is part of the intelligent rail express system by Chinese rail provider CRRC zhuzhou, and runs on rubber tires rather than rails.
Kitted out with sensors, the train can read the dimensions of roads and plan its own route. In fact, it’s much like having a virtual rail for the train.
The futuristic form of public transport can move along fully autonomously at a speed of 70 km/h and can carry up to 500 passengers, offering new options for easing modern transport pressures.
As it’s green coloring would suggest, the train is eco-friendly powered by electricity, yet can still travel over a distance of 40km per full charge.
The train–which has assumed the name of ART, meaning autonomous rail rapid transit–is an initiative to help medium-sized and small cities which cannot afford to lay down rails or install expensive transport systems. According to the city’s government the train will be moving on the streets of zhuzhou in 2018.
