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With no driver at the wheel, the mood became tense as an immobile figure loomed on the railroad tracks ahead. 

But the pilotless train equipped with an autonomous control system passed the test with flying colors in Kokubunji in western Tokyo in mid-May.

When it detected a mannequin placed on the track as an "obstacle," the test train made an emergency stop.

After the dummy was removed, the system automatically determined whether it was safe to resume operations and started moving the vehicle again.

The trial run of a test vehicle incorporated with technology developed by the Railway Technical Research Institute was shown to media representatives in Kokubunji Tokyo in mid-May.

Placed on an experimental line managed by the institute, the front of the train was equipped with a forward-facing monitoring device composed of a camera and nine sensors.

It automatically ran on the tracks as the on-board system controlled a crossing gate and a railroad switch in the trial run of a test vehicle incorporated with advanced technology in the demonstration. 

ON TRACK FOR SAVINGS

As railway companies are on a fast track to realizing driverless operations, the institute developed an autonomous control system aimed at reducing labor costs for local railways.

Along with making emergency stops and resumption of service when safety is assured, the system also automatically administers train operations, railroad crossings and signals.

The system is expected to be put into practical use in or around 2040, according to the institute.

The autonomous system is composed of five underlying technologies, including technology to detect obstacles on the tracks with cameras and sensors; technology to summarize information about the tracks, areas along the line and train cars to determine whether the service is operational; and technology to directly control railroad crossings and switches by radio.

Normally, trains are operated by drivers. Train operations are administered by control centers, while crossings, switches and other ground facilities are managed by station operating rooms or other departments.

If the autonomous control system becomes a reality, it would help save on personnel costs in control rooms and reduce the need for station operating rooms.

"We expect that the labor savings achieved by autonomous operations will produce greater results for local railway operators with fewer services," a representative said.

caption: Equipped with a device on the front to detect obstacles on the tracks, a test train for an autonomous control system is shown to the media in Kokubunji in western Tokyo on May 13. (Ayateru Hosozawa)

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