Germany Unveils the World's First Fully Automated Train in Hamburg

Siemens and German rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) revealed on Monday, October 11, the world's first driverless, fully automated train in the city of Hamburg. Richard Lutz, CEO of DB said, "with automated rail operations, we can offer our passengers a significantly expanded, more reliable and therefore improved service -- without having to lay a single kilometer of new track." Though several airports around the world have driverless monorail terminal shuttles and Paris has driverless metro trains, the new train by Siemens and Deutsche Bahn is the first fully automated train that can safely run on existing rail infrastructure alongside regular human-driven trains. In its statement, Siemens describes the new train as more efficient due to the use of artificial intelligence (AI), which helps the train stick to schedule and meet increased travel demand more efficiently than a human driver. Four of the trains will go into operation in northern Hamburg's S-Bahn rapid urban rail network and they will start carrying passengers in December.