Germany launches World’s First Self-Driving Train

Highlights:

• German rail operator, Deutsche Bahn and industrial group, Siemens launched the first automated & driverless train of the world on October 11, 2021.
• The self-driving train was launched in the city of Hamburg.
• This train is more punctual and energy efficient as compared to traditional trains.
• Country has planned to add four such trains to the S-Bahn rapid urban rail network of northern city.
• These trains will start carrying passengers from December on the existing rail infrastructure.
• Other cities such as Paris have driverless metros on the other hand, airports often have automated monorail trains plying terminals. 
• However, these trains run on exclusive single tracks while the Hamburg train will share tracks with other regular trains.

• This project is being developed by ‘Siemens and Deutsche Bahn’. It is being dubbed as “world first”. 
• The project is part of a 60-million-euro modernisation of rapid urban rail system of Hamburg. 
• These automated trains will offer a reliable service without laying a single kilometre of new track. 
• These trains can transport “up to 30 % more passengers”. 
• Besides improving the punctuality, these trains will save more than 30 % of energy.
• Though the train is controlled by digital technology and is fully automated. 
• But a driver will sit on the train to supervise journeys of the passengers on board.
• It is noted that Deutsche Bahn is a German railway company, having its headquarter in Berlin. 
• It is a private joint-stock company. 
• The Federal Republic of Germany is the only shareholder in the company. 
• It is the second-largest transport company in the world. 
• In the year 2015, Deutsche Bahn was the largest railway company of the world by revenue.