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There's a lot of driverless train systems in the world, from "automatic driving with an operator on board" (Londons DLR system for example) to fully automatic "
by tonymillion 3y ago
There's a lot of driverless train systems in the world, from "automatic driving with an operator on board" (Londons DLR system for example) to fully automatic "driver/operator-less system" (i.e. very probably every time you've taken a sky tram at an airport)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_driver-less_train_systems https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_driver-less_train_syst...
- pipo234 3y agoYes, we've seen that it can be done. Technically. But by and far the majority of trains are still human operated. Even though the traffic rules are very straight forward ("get out of my way, or...") and the guidance systems, robotics, CC surveillance, scheduling and logistics are 99% there in (for example) major parts of continental Europe. So why are train services in Germany, Netherlands, France frequently canceled for lack of train drivers? I honoustly don't know the answer but I wager that return on investment plays a significant role. And I think the self-driving car rationale isn't all that different, except for the easy venture billions of the last decade(s).
- tonymillion 3y agoWell usually it’s because of train worker union strikes and lots of lobbying on their behalf. The reality is it’s political suicide to put that many people out of work in one fell swoop and it’s expensive to replace all rolling stock in one go. So it’s down to a slow and steady war of attrition. Example: London Underground is being slowly but surely automated, while keeping an operator who is “not a driver” until they are no longer needed. And that’s one of the oldest metro train systems in the world