China’s CRRC unveils first railless, driverless train
08 Jun 2017
Chinese rail transit firm CRRC has developed a driverless train or smart bus that can run without tracks. The smart bus or the Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART), was developed by the research arm of CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co Ltd, which produces key parts for China's high-speed railway.
First unveiled in Zhuzhou, Central China's Hunan province on 2 June 2017, the 30-meter train, with three carriages, is part of the intelligent rail express system by the developer, and runs on rubber tires rather than rails.
The train has three carriages with a capacity of 300 people. A five-carriage train can hold as many as 500 passengers, the company stated in a release.
The train can move at a speed of 70 km per hour and can carry up to 500 passengers, using five cars, offering new options for easing modern transport pressures. The train is also powered by electricity and can travel 40km per full charge, the company said.
The train is about 30 meters long and equipped with sensors that can read the dimensions of roads and plan its own route. It is like having a virtual rail for the train.
The government of Zhuzhou city in Hunan province plans to buils a 6.5-kilometer ART line through downtown Zhuzhou with planned operations starting in 2018.
CRRC undertakes design, manufacture, testing, commissioning and maintenance of locomotives and rolling stock, including electric locomotives, diesel-electric and diesel-hydraulic locomotives from 280 kW to 10,000 kW for mainline and shunting duties; high-speed trains of speed over 350 km/h; DMUs and EMUs for urban, suburban and regional transport; trams and light.
