13 Sep The track-less train that runs on virtual railways. The Chinese know how
The Chinese have made another innovation, the automatic vehicle that runs like bus on “virtual railways”. The first car is just over 100 feet in length with a maximum passenger load of 307 people. It has a top speed of 70 kilometres an hour. Instead of going on rails and be managed by the driver, a Chinese “smart train” uses sensors that allow monitoring of the “virtual railways” or white line on the road.
It is designed for public transport in smaller cities that cannot afford the expensive cost of building the tramway tracks or metro. 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 (£45.6 – £79 million).
Designing of this technological innovation began in 2013. and nd it is set to begin operating in 2018. It has a life span of 25 years and is said to be non-polluting.