Autonomous Rail Transit (ART), the world’s first trackless train has been developed by China Rail Corporation. The concept of the smart train was first introduced in 2013 and it has finally entered testing phase. It will start functioning in 2018 in the city of Zhuzhou in China’s Hunan province to manage traffic.
The design copyrighted by the Corporation has rubber wheels and a plastic core that will eliminate the need for a railway track altogether. The train is also equipped with sensors that help keep it on track as indicated by a guided path mapped on the roads. The initial design consists of 3 carriages but the China Rail Corporation has plans to increase that number to 5.
The trackless train has a length of 31.64 meters with the capacity to carry 300 passengers at a given time. This length allows ease in turning whereas the twin-head system allows it to move in both directions and the need for U-turns is eliminated.
Once this technology makes its way to the streets it will revolutionize public transport and make commuting from one place to another much more simpler.
