Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Siemens Mobility have developed the world’s first train that operates by itself in rail traffic. Dr. Richard Lutz, CEO of DB, and Dr. Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens AG, together with Dr. Peter Tschentscher, Mayor of Hamburg, presented the train on the 11th October 2021 as it made its premiere run as part of the Digital S-Bahn Hamburg project.
The train is controlled by digital technology and is fully automated. The driver remains on the train to supervise the journey with passengers on board. Shunting, such as turning the train around, is done without on-board personnel. Passengers benefit from expanded rail services and greater punctuality.
“We are making rail transport more intelligent. Trains drive the perfect timetable automatically, accurate to the second and energy-optimised,” says Dr. Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens AG. “This way, we are supporting our partner Deutsche Bahn in its goal of making train travel more attractive and protecting the climate. With our technology, our customers can transport up to 30 percent more passengers, significantly improve punctuality and save more than 30 percent energy. The digital S-Bahn Hamburg marks a world premiere.”
The new technology has already been officially approved and, since it features open interfaces, can immediately be used by operators worldwide for all types of trains.
The project partners DB, Siemens Mobility, and the City of Hamburg have invested a total of €60 million in the digital S-Bahn Hamburg, which is part of DB’s Digital Rail Germany project.
