Korea Railroad Research Institute test train

SOUTH KOREA: Korea Railroad Research Institute has successfully tested train-to-train data communications over distances of 2 km in the open air and 4 km in tunnels.

The communications use a directional antenna developed by KRRI, which said it was the first successful test over such distances.

A nine-year autonomous train development programme running to 2024 is being undertaken at the New Transport Science Technopolis in Osong, with backing from the National Science & Technology Research Council of the Ministry of Science & ICT.

The aim is to develop a distributed control method through which trains would share information such as routing, stopping patterns and speed. Each train would then determine its own performance profile.

‘Commercialisation of the autonomous train system is now one step closer’, said Jeong Rak-gyo, head of the Smart Electrical Signals Division at KRRI following the most recent tests.