• FaceDeer
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    22 months ago

    Trains don’t self-drive, though.

    Edit: Okay, for the pedants: most trains don’t self-drive.

    • @thevoidzero@lemmy.world
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      182 months ago

      But do you know how easy it is to have self driving train compared to self driving car? Because trains only need speed control. Honestly trains are already almost self driving and only needs human inputs occasionally.

      • @mormund@feddit.org
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        42 months ago

        You’d think so. But at least Germany struggles massively with missing personnel to staff trains (which includes roles beyond the driver). As far as I know there is no automated solution on the horizon for any form or scale of train traffic. The only self driving trains I have experienced require tight control of the rail environment (entirely underground or lifted above the surface) and special stations with airlocks.

        Maybe there is just more money in self-driving cars. But I’m pretty sure they will happen before wide spread automated trains. Which sucks.

        • @thevoidzero@lemmy.world
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          32 months ago

          Yeah I think it’s the money issue. The companies have more money making self driving cars. Specially since the incremental advancements make them more money on every new car sell.

          While trains don’t have incremental advancements with sells associated with them. They have less training and incentives. But technology wise it is definitely easier to control speed 1D, while mostly looking at the front (maybe back) compared to the degree of control/sensors cars need.

    • unalivejoy
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      42 months ago

      Someone has never been to most airports. Or Disney World.

      • FaceDeer
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        42 months ago

        That’s not most trains. Those are highly specialized and constrained applications. There are already self-driving taxis in certain defined city areas, so they’re still ahead by that standard.

        • @Mr_Blott@feddit.uk
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          42 months ago

          I was in Barcelona last month and the metro was automated. Some trams in Switzerland too when I was there two months ago

          I’m not a city person but I assumed that was just normal now.

          Dunno if you’re from NA but if so just remember you might be a decade behind on public transport

          • FaceDeer
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            22 months ago

            Most trains aren’t public transit, either. They’re freight haulers.

              • FaceDeer
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                -12 months ago

                Europe has freight trains too.

                I don’t see why this is a point worth quibbling about. The “gag” is that rails are designed for self-driving vehicles, but most trains are not self-driving. It’s only relatively recently that any of them are.

    • @mkwt@lemmy.world
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      22 months ago

      DLR trains do, and several airport trains.

      Some London Underground lines have drivers that only intervene in the automatic operation of the train in an emergency or abnormal condition.

    • Annoyed_🦀 A
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      12 months ago

      What? The train in my country are mostly self-drive.