Driverless Subway Goes Into Service in Nuremberg

2008-Jun-22 | Germany’s first driverless subway has now gone into operation on line U3 of the Nuremberg subway system. It is the first fully automated subway in the world to run on the same track with driver-operated trains. With the introduction of the new driverless trains developed by Siemens, Nuremberg’s local public transit operator is aiming to enhance ride comfort for passengers and boost the network’s profitability. As reported in Pictures of the Future, another line of the Nuremberg network, the U2, is also scheduled to switch to driverless operation next year.
Although other cities have had driverless trains in operation for several years now, including London and Paris, the Nuremberg system is still exceptional because the U3 line runs on part of the existing track of the U2 line, which also will be used by conventionally operated trains until 2009. This marks the first time that driverless and driver-operated trains operate on the same line.
As the supplier of all the technology for the system, Siemens has been responsible for ensuring that the two lines run smoothly alongside each other. An ATC (Automatic Train Control) system featuring several computers has been installed in the network of tunnels beneath Nuremberg. Using light waves and radio, the system remains in constant communication with computers in the driverless trains and is thus able to determine their exact position and speed while automatically controlling their overall operation. In addition, staff at the VAG control center monitor all the various automated processes and are prepared to intervene in the event of a fault or emergency.

The platforms are monitored by video cameras and specially developed control systems. A high-frequency transponder system featuring transmitter and receiver rails, for example, is mounted underneath the platform edge and emits a dense grid of sensing beams over the track. Should a person fall onto the track, the system would automatically halt all trains in the affected sector of the network. Similarly, when the train is about to depart, even the slightest pressure on the edges of the doors is registered by an infrared sensor — the hem of a coat stuck in the door is all it takes to keep the train from leaving the station.

Passengers, meanwhile, are largely unaware there is no driver, and those sitting in the front of the train can now enjoy a free view of the tunnel ahead, unobstructed by the driver’s cabin. But other differences are registered only subconsciously, at most, such as the shorter intervals between arriving trains— 100 seconds instead of 200 — and a smooth, vibration-free ride.