The 'no rails' train runs in Chinese streets

The virtual train runs on a virtual track that is put into operation in a city in Hunan province, China.

Described as the world's first "smart ship" , the virtual-rail vehicle flew on the busy streets of Zhuzhou, Hunan Province, China, People's Daily Online on Oct. 24. reporting. It can travel at a maximum speed of 70km / h and carry 300 passengers.

The ART train runs on Zhuzhou Street. (Video: Xinhua).

The system, called the Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART), was developed by China's CRRC Corporation Limited, one of the largest shipbuilders in the world. ART was born to speed up the public transport of Zhuzhou, a city of about 4 million people, before becoming popular elsewhere in China.

The ship is sleek with a hybrid design between long and traditional trains. It can carry a much larger number of passengers than a bus. Unlike trains, trains do not run on real rails. The 3.75 meters inline system is represented by a broken line on the road.

The ART train system.

According to Feng Jianghua, the ship's chief engineer, the virtual rail system has a lower construction cost than rail rail or subway systems. Feng said the cost of building one kilometer of railroad tracks in China is $ 22-30 million, but with high-tech virtual rails, the cost drops to $ 7.5 million to $ 15 million for the same mileage.

The train can recognize the curb and equip various sensors to collect traffic information. Three smart trains are being tested on Zhuzhou Street. The line will officially come into operation in the spring of next year. As planned, the vessel will move to automatic operation in the near future.