Most Tokyo travelers probably won’t notice a difference, but JR and Japanese train lovers are excited for this big change.
As one of the busiest train lines in one of the most highly populated cities in the world, the Yamanote Line run by Japan Railway passes through just about every major urban hub and carries 32 million people in large loops around Tokyo every week. But starting this October, will that number be going down by one per train? Because JR is planning to turn the Yamanote Line totally automated, without the usual experienced driver at the wheel.
JR East, which runs Tokyo's train lines, has actually been sounding out the possibility of automated trains on the Yamanote Line tracks since 2018, occasionally sending them down the rails on out-of-service test runs without any passengers. On the busy Joban Line, which winds its way through a crowded stretch of Tokyo tracks before heading north out of the city, similarly automated trains have already been in service since 2021! And even the shinkansen bullet trains have gone on automated test drives in Niigata. So when JR begins its two-month test of automated Yamanote Line trains in October, the company will be seriously looking to set things in motion on a larger scale. JR will be collecting data at different times of day and during different weather conditions, and working on safety systems that detect obstacles and disruptions on the tracks, so that they can improve on the automation systems used by other lines, have it all working with train car improvements set for 2023, and be ready to turn the Yamanote Line automated by 2028 – the current target date.
According to JR, the reason behind this big move isn't just a desire to turn Tokyo into the futuristic city of our dreams, it's to address the possible shortage of drivers that might result in the near future due to Japan's shrinking population. Despite the never-ending crowds of people hoping to ride the Yamanote Line, there are fewer drivers looking to drive the trains. But what's surprising about these automated trains is that, really, they're not driverless at all. Even with an automated system, JR still plans to have a driver on board to control the train. So how does this help with the driver shortage problem? Well, with all the improvements being made now to the automated operations system, these new drivers will be able to simply push a button to get the train going, and when arriving at a station, the locomotive will automatically slow down as it approaches the platform. Drivers will only have to manually operate the trains in emergencies, which means, importantly, that train crew will no longer need driver accreditation to find themselves in the driver's seat. Plus, the new and improved version of the operation program that will be used on the Yamanote Line is being perfected so that it smoothly accelerates and decelerates just like an experienced train driver, keeping energy usage at a minimum.
As long as the "experienced driver" in the train programming doesn't start to develop a mind of its own, the future looks bright for the future of JR trains. Next time you hop on the Yamanote Line to make your way around Tokyo, take a moment to appreciate the smooth ride as you leave the station, and just think – it might be a computer you can thank!
For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
Details
NAME:JR Yamanote Line (山手線)
PROFILE
The latest news from Japan - learn what's new in the land of the rising sun, from an international group right on the scene.
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MOREWhich snacks make the best Japanese souvenirs?~ Jaga Pirika ~ 일본과자 선물 뭐하지?~자가피리카 편~ #pr #calbee #jagapokkuru #japanesesnacks #japanesefood #japanesesouvenir #japantravel #japantrip #naritaairport #hokkaido #나리타국제공항 #일본여행선물 #흔하지않은기념품 #일본쇼핑리스트 #일본과자추천 #고구마과자 #일본간식추천 #일본면세점쇼핑 #개별포장 #일본감자칩 #도쿄나리타공항면세점 #현지인추천 #일본여행 #일본기념품리스트 #자가포쿠루 #자가피리카
Asakusa's Sanja Matsuri, one of the biggest festivals in all of Tokyo, is almost here! Make sure you check out the festival route so you don't miss all the festivities this May. #asakusa #sanjafestival #sanjamatsuri #asakusashrine #sensoji #sensojitemple #japanesefestival #shintoshrine #japaneseculture #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #asakusasightseeing #matsuri #japantrip #japantravel #springinjapan #tokyotravel #japankuru #산자마츠리 #아사쿠사 #일본마츠리 #일본여행 #일본5월
Odaiba's DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is home to the famous real-size 20m-tall Unicorn Gundam, and the popular shopping center has even more Gundam on the inside! Check out the Gundam Base Tokyo on the 7th floor for shelves upon shelves of Gunpla, and the Gundam Base Tokyo Annex on the 2nd floor for cool anime merchandise. Both shops have tons of limited-edition items! #pr #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #PR #divercity #divercitytokyoplaza #tokyoshopping #gundam #unicorngundam #gundambasetokyo #anime #otaku #gunpla #japankuru #오다이바 #다이바시티도쿄 #오다이바건담 #건담 #일본건담 #건프라 #건담베이스도쿄
Evangelion, in miniature!? Tokyo's SMALL WORLDS Miniature Museum is actually a must-see for anime lovers, thanks to the tiny Evangelion Hangar and Tokyo-III... plus a whole universe of other scenes both real and fictional. #smallworlds #smallworldstokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japantrip #japantravel #에반게리온 #스몰월드 #에반겔리온 #スモールワールズ #오다이바 #아리아케
Have you sat down for a snack at Sumida Aquarium yet? This aquarium next to Tokyo Skytree is known for its penguins and garden eels, but we can't get enough of their cute snacks! There are lots of good seats around the aquarium, too, so it almost feels like one big cafe. 🐧 • Find out more at Japankuru.com! (Link in bio.) • #japankuru #sumidaaquarium #skytree #tokyoskytree #solamachi #sumida #tokyo #tokyotrip #tokyotravel #aquarium #japanesesweets #themecafe #すみだ水族館 #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan #japan🇯🇵 #igerstokyo #explorejapan
For anime fans, the Evangelion areas at Small Worlds Miniature Museum are a must see! The tiny miniature people in the Evangelion Hangar look like ants beneath the moving Unit-01, Unit-00, and Unit-02! And over in Tokyo-III, characters like Shinji, Rei, and Katsuragi live life on a miniature scale. #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #ariake #smallworlds #miniaturemuseum #smallworldstokyo #tokyotravel #evangelion #eva #anime #miniature #miniatures #animefigure #japankuru #스몰월드 #에반게리온 #오다이바 #오다이바관광 #오다이바스몰월드 #미니어쳐