Getting on a train without a driver? In Japan it's not an absolute novelty (the first one dates back to even to 1981) but it is about to become the new normal, and on superfast trains, with the massive advent of autonomous rail transport. Yes, sir: autonomous trains.
The revolutionary project of autonomous trains
Japan is preparing for a turning point in the world of rail transport. The East Japan Railway (JR East), one of the country's major operators, has announced plans to introduce autonomous trains on its high-speed Shinkansen lines by the mid-2030s.
Shinkansen Trains Could Race Across Japan Without Drivers starting from the mid-2030s, said one of its main rail operators, motivated in part by the country's demographic crisis.
Demographic crisis and autonomous trains
With a rapidly aging population and declining birth rate, Japan faces labor shortages in many sectors. Autonomous trains emerge as an innovative solution to maintain the efficiency of the railway system without relying solely on human personnel.
According to a JR East spokesperson, “The main driver behind the plan is the need to constantly innovate rail technology, and this could in turn help address labor shortages and other issues.”
The Joetsu Shinkansen Line Without Drivers
The plan calls for the initial introduction of trains with many automated functions, but with the driver still present in the cab, on some routes starting in 2028. In 2029, JR East intends to test autonomous trains on a short out-of-service stretch, before implementing them between Tokyo and Niigata on the Joetsu Shinkansen Line in the mid-2030s.
The maximum speed of the Shinkansen on the Joetsu Line is 275 kilometers per hour, but on other lines it can reach 300 km/h or more.
Autonomous trains: the answer to staff shortages
Railway automation is not just a technological issue, but a response to the country's demographic challenge. "Through the realization of driverless driving and the transformation of railway management into an efficient and sustainable system, we will adapt to changes in the social environment such as the declining population and reforms in work methods," says the official statement from JR East.
The Future of Transportation in Japan
The adoption of autonomous trains could revolutionize rail transportation not only in Japan, but around the world. While some may raise concerns about the safety and reliability of driverless trains, the innovation represents a bold response to the country's economic and social challenges.
Japan, with a declining population and one of the highest median ages in the world, is already facing worker shortages in many sectors of the economy.
A journey into the future
Autonomous trains are no longer a futuristic idea, but an imminent reality. Japan is showing the world how innovation can offer real solutions to complex problems. Perhaps the next time we board a bullet train, there will be no one in control but a series of sophisticated algorithms. And who knows, it could be the beginning of a new era in global transportation.
