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London Unveils New Driverless Subway Trains

Posted by samzenpus on from the running-on-time dept.

MikeChino writes London just unveiled its next-generation subway trains — and they're sleek, 100% automated, and WiFi-equipped. UK-based design studio Priestmangoode teamed up with Transport for London to develop the trains over a period of 3 years, and they feature open and airy interiors inspired by aviation design.

6 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    We had those (except wifi) in our city (Torino, little more than 800k people in northen Italy) for the last 8 years. Where is the news?

    1. Re:Well... by operator_error · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Have you any idea what percentage of the Tube's budget is allocated just to keep the underground from flooding; a rather large unseen yet vital issue? Have you any idea what percentage of the UK's GDP might be affected by such a breach in the underground transport system?

      I believe at least 1/3 of the budget is used for flood control, although I welcome fact checkers' efforts.

      Last I heard, 16% of the UK's GDP was the financial sector of London.

  2. Aerodynamic design? by Jack+Malmostoso · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm not an engineer, but I always wondered why trains tend to be designed like a wall. Only high-speed trains are actually wedge shaped to be aerodynamic.

    I would imagine that a subway train, acting like a "piston" would work better if it were more aerodynamic and not have to overcome a lot of pressure within the tunnel.

    Can anyone explain the reasons behind this design?

  3. Aerodynamic design? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They are piston shaped on purpose, they actually are the main way to cause ventilation of air in/out of the underground.

  4. Re:I've been wondering why this took so long by pr0nbot · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The Economist this week has a special report about how automation is going to make a lot of us unemployed, possibly in more permanent ways than previous industrial revolutions:

    http://www.economist.com/news/...

  5. Re:I've been wondering why this took so long by itzly · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Sounds like a good plan. We'll be able to enjoy our free time, while our robots do all the nasty work.