China has successfully completed a test of an unmanned heavy-haul train on the railway connecting Hebei and Shandong provinces, marking a major milestone in the development of unmanned rail transportation technology. The nearly 1,300-meter-long, 10,800-ton train traveled from Huanghua City in Hebei to Dongying City in Shandong in 2.5 hours. The route is mainly used to transport coal.
The introduction of unmanned trains is expected to increase the average train speed by 1.7 km/h and reduce energy consumption by 2.9%, greatly improving the efficiency of coal transportation from the west to the east of the country. This technology has previously only been used on urban rail systems, but is now being applied to heavy-haul freight transportation for the first time.
The test train was entirely designed and manufactured in China, using unique technologies such as a centralized control system and an intelligent driving system. The train’s three key technologies – comprehensive support and simulation, remote control and autonomous driving, and integrated safety monitoring – have filled important technological gaps in the country.