US Transit Systems Consider Driverless Trains Amid Automation Push
While automated vehicles advance on roads, major cities like Washington D.C. and Los Angeles are exploring the feasibility of running subway lines without human operators.
Two major U.S. cities are moving forward with plans that could allow computers to fully control subway lines, signaling a potential shift in the nation's public transit landscape. Washington D.C. has advanced a plan to automate one of its subway lines, while Los Angeles is considering a new, entirely automated underground line. These developments come as the debate over the safety, benefits, and costs of automated trains intensifies.
Supporters of transit automation argue that U.S. cities lag behind global counterparts, which already operate unattended subways, metros, and buses in numerous locations across Europe, Asia, Canada, Australia, South America, and the Middle East. Baruch Feigenbaum, senior managing director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation, noted that fixed-rail systems are generally easier to automate than on-road vehicles due to their defined paths.
While automated vehicles like robotaxis from companies such as Waymo, Tesla, and Zoox have taken the lead in U.S. automation, transit systems are now catching up. Washington D.C.'s Metro system, which opened 50 years ago with some automated features, had those systems turned off after a fatal crash in 2009. They have since been restored over the past two years. The current push aims to automate the Red Line by 2033, a plan that would cost nearly $1 billion and include safety features like passenger barriers. Randy Clarke, CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, acknowledged the past failure but stated that the current systems are highly regulated and proficient, emphasizing that human workers would still be needed for maintenance and emergency response.
Los Angeles is conducting an environmental review for a new automated heavy-rail line that would traverse the Santa Monica Mountains, an area known for severe traffic congestion. This proposed line aims to use shorter, more frequent trains and would include station doors to enhance passenger safety. Cecily Way, who oversees planning for the Sepulveda Project for LA Metro, highlighted the project's potential to alleviate traffic.
Honolulu has already launched the Skyline automated light metro transit system, which has been operating for three years and is expanding. Vance Tsuda, the system's project director, reported no crashes or injuries associated with its automation, suggesting that fully automated systems can be safer than hybrid models where human oversight might lead to errors.
However, transit unions have voiced strong opposition. John Samuelsen, international president of the Transport Workers Union, called automation efforts a "catastrophe waiting to happen," particularly concerning passenger safety during emergencies on systems with a third rail.
David King, an associate professor of urban planning at Arizona State University, stressed the need for perfect success rates in public transit automation to maintain public trust, citing the impact of past accidents on the technology's perception. He contrasted public sector tolerance for failure with the private sector, using SpaceX's rocket launches as an example.
Experts suggest that the successful automation of major transit lines in cities like Los Angeles and Washington could encourage other cities to pursue similar initiatives, demonstrating the technological feasibility and potential benefits of driverless transit systems.