TOKYO -- At the push of a button, an automated train conducted a test run over Tokyo's iconic Yamanote Line in the wee hours of Monday morning, as operator East Japan Railway demonstrated technology it aims to put into practical use by 2027 as it girds for a shortage of drivers.
The test was held before service began for the day on the 34.5 km elevated line that encircles the capital city. It was also the first open to the press for a technology that JR East began trials of at the end of last year. The cutting-edge E235 train made stops from one station to the next, regulating its own speed without human assistance. Crew members measured the time taken between stations and kept track of whether the train adhered to its timetable.
