China’s first driverless subway line in the capital city Beijing, is expected to start operations at the end of 2017.
Operations on the Yanfang line will be fully automatic, including train departures, door opening and closing, and cleaning.
The trains will only use domestic technology, state-run Peoples Daily reported today.
China started developing its own fully automatic subway system in 2010 and has mastered the core technologies, the report said.
Beijing subway lines 3, 12, 17, 19 and the new airport line are all under planning and will also operate with completely automated, driverless trains.
It is expected that the total length of fully-automated subway lines in Beijing will reach 300 km by 2020, the report said.
The development and use of domestic operation systems is part of the “Made in China 2025” initiative, which aims to comprehensively upgrade Chinese industry.
The move will also help strengthen China’s presence in the global rail transport industry and ensure the security of the country’s key infrastructure facilities, it said.