The Yamanote Line is going full self-driving
Japan Railway Co (JR) said Tuesday it will carry out test runs of automated trains with passengers aboard on Tokyo's Yamanote loop line for two months starting around October.
JR has been testing the automated system on out-of-service trains on the line since 2018, and the operator intends to implement the technology around 2028.
When using the automated operations system, drivers simply push a button to speed up the train to depart. It also automatically slows itself down upon drawing close to a station, meaning drivers will manually operate services only in emergencies.
The system's development is expected to reach its final stages once the tests end, with carriage improvements slated from around spring 2023 to achieve the targeted 2028 implementation.
Development is progressing on a system to detect obstructions on the tracks, and JR intends to create a high-level system that can also handle emergency stops by the 2030s.
Why is JR automating such a complicated train line?
The move to achieve full autonomy for the Yamanote line is surprisingly to decrease fatalities or improve reliability.
It’s actually part of measures to stem a possible shortage of drivers amid the nation's shrinking population.
Under the plans, train crew would no longer need driver accreditation. Instead, their duties would involve responding to customers and training staff.
The accreditation needed to be a train-driver in Japan is one of the strictest in the world, and any measures to decrease the need for licensed train-operators would decrease the cost and
Also, a fully automated train-line have the potential to make the world’s most reliable transit network even more reliable, and it increases the possibility to run the Yamanote line on a 24h a day schedule (today it “only” runs on a 18h schedule).
Lastly, fully automating the Yamanote line would be a huge feather in JR’s hat and a true showcase that Japan still is the world’s No.1 train-country. JR has long been trying to export their know-how and tech to other countries, and they hope that this breakthrough will help them further.
What does this mean for train-lines worldwide?
Simply put, if the world’s busiest train line can function as a fully autonomous rail-service, there are no excuses for train-lines all around the world to not do the same!
For Japan, automated trains have limited benefits because the infrastructure surrounding them are already so good. But for the rest of the world, autonomous trains could substantially increase reliability, safety and comfort of their train lines; all while decreasing maintenance- and operational costs.
If the automation of the Yamanote line is successful, it’s one more step step in making trains and metros the main way people travel, all around the world.
The World's Busiest Train-Line is Becoming Fully Autonomous