Trains are one of the most efficient forms of land transportation. China knows that well, which is why it is investing so much research on trains. Now the country has reached a breakthrough: a train with no tracks.
On June 2, Chinese railmaker CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive unveiled the world’s first train which run on a virtual railway. Called the Autonomous Rapid Transit or Art, it has been demonstrated in the city of Zhuzhou.
Photo by People’s Daily Online
Art is about 30 meters long which can carry a total of 307 passengers. It can run 70 kph at maximum, and after ten minutes of charging can travel 25 kilometers.
The engineers say that this train is said to navigate the streets easier than a bus while being more adaptable than a train.
https://youtu.be/Kr9-J3nOKbE%20
Video by New China TV
According to reports, the new train is set to cost around the fifth of the price of a traditional subway system which usually costs around 400 million yuan to 700 yuan (US$58.85 million to about US$103 million) per kilometer in China.
But the most interesting feature of this train is the set of sensors which detect the dimensions of the road. According to chief engineer of this project Feng Jianghua, this system allows the vehicle to follow routes without the need for metal rails.
Instead of steel wheels, it is fitted with rubber wheels attached to a plastic core which are linked to its especially designed guiding technology.
And since it detects its route on the road, there is no need for a driver to direct this train. Art is the world’s first driverless rail transit system.
Development of Art started in 2013, and it is hoped to make its pilot run in 2018.
Source: People’s Daily Online
