A futuristic rail system featuring track-less trains and virtual lines was launched in a China recently.
Billed as the world’s first ‘smart train’, the vehicle runs on virtual rail lines through the bustling streets of Zhuzhou in China’s Hunan Province.
The rail system, called ART or Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit, has been developed by China’s CRRC Corporation Limited, one of the world’s largest train manufacturers.
The train, sporting sleek livery, is somewhat a hybrid between a long bus and a traditional tram. It could carry much more passengers than a bus and unlike a tram, it doesn’t run on physical railway tracks.
The invisible railway measures 3.75 metres (12.3 feet) wide and is embodied by dotted lines painted on the road.
According to Feng Jianghua, chief engineer of the train, the virtual railway system is much cheaper to build compared to a tram or subway system.
Mr. Feng said it would cost 150 to 200 million yuan to build one kilometre (.6 miles) of the tramway in China, but with the high-tech virtual line, the cost would be reduced to 50 to 100 million yuan for the same distance.