Czech Republic tests Europe’s first driverless train

A rail line linking two northern Czech towns is testing Europe's first driverless train operating in an open environment, its developer told AFP on Tuesday. The train named Edita has been running since April on a local railway used as a testing track by the Prague-based private AZD company producing transport control and signalling systems.

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"The train runs autonomously, it is equipped with systems that enable us to control its traction, brakes, and speed," said AZD's railway developer Michal Novak. "It is also equipped with a device that detects objects and recognises obstacles and reacts accordingly," he added.

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AZD has been running the train sparingly since its launch as its staff often test new equipment on it. Edita connects two small towns on a 24-kilometre (15-mile) track that was abandoned in 2010 before AZD bought it six years later. AZD has invested 320 million Czech koruna ($15 million) in the project, using EU funding for about one-third of the amount.

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The autonomous train, which has so far driven some 1,700 kilometres (1,060 miles) with passengers, relies on cameras, lasers, satellite navigation and an integrated digital map for information on its whereabouts. Under the current legislation, it still needs a driver to at least supervise its operation. The early Tuesday train's crew also included a conductor and experts checking data.

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When a hare ran onto the track, Edita duly slowed down and informed the crew about the obstacle. Novak said the train once had to stop because of a herd of sheep in the way, but he added incidents like this were rare.  He added Edita was the first driverless train in Europe in an open environment with level crossings and where animals might get in the way.

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"There are systems where autonomous vehicles operate, but these are mostly on special tracks that are closed off such as underground or transfers between airport terminals," he said. "These have been in place for quite some time and work well in Europe, but I only know of one project in Australia that operates in such an open landscape," added Novak.

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Watching the track ahead of the train on a screen in the carriage, passenger Radka Globanova told AFP autonomous trains "definitely have a future". "I think the progress will be really fast as artificial intelligence is being developed. There are autonomous trains, autonomous cars, why not?"

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