Self-driving train hits the rails in Tokyo
TOKYO, Jan 7, 2019, NHK. A major Japanese railway operator has tested a self-driving train in central Tokyo. East Japan Railway Company, also known as JR East, conducted the test run early Monday on Tokyo’s Yamanote Line, reported the NHK.
No regular trains were running on the 35-kilometer loop at the time.
The self-driving train went around the line twice. An operator was on board, but didn’t touch any of the controls after starting the train.
The train uses JR East’s “Automatic Train Operation,” or “ATO,” technology. It allows the train to adjust its own speed and stop at stations without human intervention.
Company officials verified if the train could speed up or slow down properly. They also checked to see if the ride was comfortable and whether the train was able to make up time after a delay.
Yuichiro Tokunaga of JR East said, “We plan to learn from these tests and put self-driving technology to practical use as soon as possible.”
The company says ATO could be one way to tackle expected labor shortages in future.
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