New fully automatic train rolls of the assembly line in Chengdu

A new generation full-automatic A-type commuter train, jointly developed by CRRC Sifang Co Ltd, Chengdu Rail Transit Group and CRRC Chengdu Co Ltd, rolls off the assembly line on Jan 7 in Xindu district, Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A new generation full-automatic A-type commuter train based on 5G vehicle-to-vehicle communication rolled off the assembly line on Jan 7 in Xindu district, Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.

The new commuter train, jointly developed by CRRC Sifang Co Ltd, Chengdu Rail Transit Group and CRRC Chengdu Co Ltd, runs at a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour and is the fastest of its kind in China, according to CRRC Chengdu Co Ltd. It is also the first of its kind in the world to realize fully automatic driving at a speed of 160 km per hour based on 5G vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

The new train integrates the advantages of high-speed trains with those of urban rail vehicles, making it fast, comfortable, safe and able to carry large numbers of passengers.

An intelligent, fully automatic driving test platform was also inaugurated on the same day at CRRC Chengdu Co Ltd. The system will integrate interdisciplinary technologies such as 5G, big data, industrial interconnection, smart sensing and artificial intelligence to support the research and development, testing and operation of urban rail transit equipment.

Xindu district, home to CRRC Chengdu Co Ltd, is a major base for Chengdu's rail transit industry. The output value of the rail transit industry in the Xindu Modern Transportation Industry Functional Zone is estimated to exceed 100 billion yuan ($15.44 billion) by 2035.