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'Subway for the Street' Driverless Train Unveiled

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The Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) combines rail and bus transit systems to speed up public transportation. (Image credit: CGTN/YouTube)

A train that doesn't run on physical tracks and that has no driver could soon carry commuters in China, according to news reports.

The new Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) combines bus and train transportation systems, reported Xinhua News. Like a subway train but on the street, the ART uses sensors to detect road dimensions and is guided by autonomous driving technology developed by Chinese rail-maker CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive. This technology enables the vehicle to follow routes without needing rails Feng Jianghua, chief engineer for the project, told Xinhua.

CRRC unveiled the ART on June 2 in Zhuzhou, Hunan Province. The transit system is intended to speed up the city's public transportation, reported People's Daily Online. [Hyperloop, Jetpacks & More: 9 Futuristic Transit Ideas]

A three-carriage ART is more than 100 feet (30 meters) long and can carry up to 307 passengers, reported People's Daily. The transit system can reach a top speed of 43 mph (70 km/h) and can travel more than 15 miles (25 km) after just 10 minutes of charging.

The ART has been in development since 2013, and CRRC plans to deploy the system in 2018, reported The Independent.

Original article on Live Science.

Kacey Deamer
Kacey Deamer
Staff Writer
Kacey Deamer is a journalist for Live Science, covering planet earth and innovation. She has previously reported for Mother Jones, the Reporter's Committee for Freedom of the Press, Neon Tommy and more. After completing her undergraduate degree in journalism and environmental studies at Ithaca College, Kacey pursued her master's in Specialized Journalism: Climate Change at USC Annenberg. Follow Kacey on Twitter.