Driverless Metros

1. Ankara (inaugurated 1997)
2. Copenhagen (2002)
3. Detroit (1987, downtown people mover, LIM technology)
4. Jacksonville (1989, downtown people mover, monorail)
5. Kobe (1981, Port Liner and Rokko Liner, rubber-tyred)
6. Kuala Lumpur (1996, LRT)
7. Las Vegas (1995, monorail)
8. Lille (1983, VAL)
9. London (1987, Docklands Light Rail)
10. Lyon (1991, line D/Maggaly, rubber-tyred, no PSDs)
11. Miami (1986, downtown people mover, rubber-tyred)
12. Osaka (1981, Nanko Port Town Line, rubber-tyred)
13. Paris (1998, line 14, rubber-tyred)
14. Rennes (2002, VAL)
15. Singapore (2003, North-East line and 3 rubber-tyred LRT lines)
16. Taipei (1996, Muzha line, VAL)
17. Tokyo (1995, Yurikamome Waterfront line, rubber-tyred)
18. Toulouse (1993, VAL)
19. Turin (2006, VAL)
20. Vancouver (1986, Skytrain, LIM technology, currently the world's longest automated system)
21. Yokohama (1989, Kanazawa Seaside LRT line, rubber-tyred)

• Lower expenditure for staff (staff swallows a significant part of the costs of running a transport system). However, service and security personnel is common in automated systems.
• Trains can be shorter and instead run more frequently without increasing expenditure for staff.
• Ability of train operators to vary the service frequency easily to meet sudden unexpected demands.
• Despite common psychological concerns, driverless metros are safer (most rail accidents are caused by human errors).
• Intruder detection systems can be more effective than humans in stopping the trains if someone is on the tracks.
• Financial savings in both energy and wear-and-tear costs because trains are driven to an optimum specification.
• Train turnover time at terminals can be extremely short (train goes into the holding track and returns immediately), reducing the number of train sets needed for operation.

• Despite proven safeness of automated systems, some passengers might still have safety concerns or be afraid of trains that seem to run by themselves.
• Conversion of traditional metros into driverless ones puts train drivers out of work (if they cannot be retrained to work as service or security personnel).

	Train Turnover Reversing time of automated trains can be as short as a few seconds. Photo: Lille's VAL.
	Platform Screen Doors Driverless lines are often equipped with platform screen doors. Photo: Paris's line 14. More on platform screen doors...
	Elevated Sections Many driverless metros have underground sections as well as sections above surface. Photo: London's Docklands Light Rail near Limehouse station.
	Front View In trains without drivers' cabs, passengers can enjoy a spectacular view, even in tunnels, from the first row of seats. Photo: Copenhagen.
	Driver on Board Many automated systems look like traditional ones because they still have drivers in the cabs, like San Francisco's BART.

Reference