JR East to test driverless bullet trains in 2021

A "labor shortage" of shinkansen drivers? Labor shortages affect people looking to have a new roof put on their house or a chopstick factory.

I don't think they'll ever have trouble finding shinkansen drivers... isn't that one of those jobs in Japan where 9,000 people study day and night for 2 years to take a test that only 2% pass?

"Driverless Bullet trains"...scary!

I don't think they'll ever have trouble finding shinkansen drivers... isn't that one of those jobs in Japan where 9,000 people study day and night for 2 years to take a test that only 2% pass?

and if 200 people retire a year? You are still short 20 drivers, right?

"Driverless Bullet trains"...scary!

Not in the slightest, when you consider planes have had autopilot (and no rails) for decades.

This is the sort of shot in the arm that Japan Inc. needs to reestablish technical prowess on the world stage.

The Shinkansen drivers have their pride .Well deserved. Airline pilots also have most of the time a boring job but both these professionals save lives when emergencies happen.

Yes, errors also cost lives but nobody yet has died in a shinkansen accident

Mickelicious

"Driverless Bullet trains"...scary!

> Not in the slightest, when you consider planes have had autopilot (and no rails) for decades.

And that Canada has had them for over a decade! LOL!

Every time we visit family in Vancouver I make it a point to sit my kids at the front of the train, and their squeals of joy at being able to do that there is a wonderful thing.

The only reason shinkansen trains currently need a driver is to line up the trains correctly with the platform doors. That's it.

Not in the slightest, when you consider planes have had autopilot (and no rails) for decades.

Pilots relying on autopilots have been contributing causes of some tragic airline crashes. There is no substitute for human skill operating complex systems carrying passengers at very high speeds. I can tell you from personal experience I have had autopilots try to kill me several times, and I had my hands near the controls basically waiting for something untoward to happen because I have learned early on to distrust "George" and trust my own skills.

The Yurikamome trains have no pilots yet it has the most expensive tickets in Tokyo. I'm all for implementing this as long as JR East does not jack up their ticket prices for this service.

the shot in the arm Japan Inc. needs to reestablish technical prowess on the world stage

I believe Disneyland had driver-less trains in the early 1960s. The Seattle airport has had them since the 70s. And, as Aly Ruston has pointed out, Vancouver has an excellent elevated train sans drivers for at least two decades.

And that Canada has had them for over a decade

What is the speed of these trains in Canada?

The Yurikamome trains have no pilots yet

What is the speed of the Yurikamome?

I believe Disneyland had driver-less trains in the early 1960s. The Seattle airport has had them since the 70s

What is the speed of Disneyland trains?

What is the spead of the seattle airport trains?

What is the speed of the Shinkansen?

What is the speed of these trains in Canada?

same as the trains here.

What is the speed of the Shinkansen?

It doesn't matter. The technology is there.

Average speed of SkyTrain in Vancouver is 40 km/h and top speed is 80 km/h.

It’s completely automated but all cars can be driven manually if needed.

40 km/h and top speed is 80 km/h.

You can not compare that with the Shinkansen Speed from ~300km/h

And that Canada has had them for over a decade! LOL!

Japan also has had driverless trains for decades. but not for Shinkansen trains. The maximum speed of the Vancouver is 40km/25 mph ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver))

Japan also has had driverless trains for decades.

where? What line?

If you are thinking about the Kobe one it wasn't completely functional like the sky train

yes, I know it. I've ridden it, but its nothing like the vancouver metro. It was like just 9 stations forever. They finally extended it like 10 years ago. The Vancouver metro is a whole driverless system encompassing many different lines.

The most dangerous part of the vehicle is the nut holding the wheel.

Here is something that Japan's railway companies are developing that is very interesting and maybe a little concerning.

Face Pass and Touchless Tech. Pretty soon, we won't have to worry about losing our Suica...

https://workinjapan.today/hightech/ticket-gates-with-face-pass-and-touchless-technology/

Although drivers are aboard, they will not operate the trains and only deal with emergencies.

So why not just use the drivers if they on board?

The most dangerous part of the vehicle is the nut holding the wheel.

That, and mechanical failure, computer glitches and hacking.

Face Pass and Touchless Tech.

Lol, if I bend over and drop my trou will it recognize that smile too?