TOKYO: Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains might be operating without drivers by the mid-2030s, according to East Japan Railway (JR East). The company plans to start by introducing trains with many automated driving functions, although drivers will remain in the cab initially. This partial automation will begin on a specific route in 2028.
JR East aims to trial fully driverless trains on a short, out-of-service track the following year before potentially launching them on the Joetsu Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Niigata by the mid-2030s.
The initiative is partly driven by Japan’s demographic challenges, including a declining population and evolving work practices. “By achieving driverless technology and transforming railway management into a more efficient and sustainable system, we aim to adapt to social changes and worker reforms,” the company stated.
A JR East spokesperson emphasized that innovation in railway technology is crucial to addressing labor shortages and other issues. The Joetsu Shinkansen, which currently reaches speeds of up to 275 kilometers per hour (170 miles per hour), could see these advances implemented, with other lines potentially reaching speeds of 300 km/h or more.
Japan, with the world’s second-oldest population, is already grappling with labor shortages across various sectors.
