this post was submitted on 01 Jul 2025
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Wouldn't it be way easier to implement self driving on a rail system? The trains I take to work are frequently cancelled due to lack of operators.
Yes, there are plenty of driverless train networks around the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_driverless_train_systems
Not really, because existing track would need to be retrofitted with all of the sensors and whatnot specific to automation. Then there would still need to be a large number of staff available to reroute trains when some run late or have issues, because trying to predict all of those situations is impossible.
Smaller rail systems are frequently automated, like light rail at airports and even some subway systems where minimal human oversight is enough to handle it when things don't work perfectly.
The shortage of operators has a lot more to do with intentionally trying to ruin rail by cutting funding and putting in barriers to working. There are a ton of people who would enjoy being operators if it paid well and was a reliable position.
We have a metro in Sydney that does this. It's usually pretty alright, but difficult to build and scale. The lines that actually go out of the city would never be able to achieve such things, the construction and setup alone is astronomical.
No, because you still need to put all those parked personal vehicles somewhere. Shared physical infrastructure reduces overhead.