Tech Yamanote loop line set to operate without drivers by 2035

JR East will introduce driverless trains to Tokyo's Yamanote line by 2035 and plans to apply the same technology to Shinkansen services to ease pressure from a shrinking workforce. Staff will be reassigned to roles that support passengers more directly. While driving roles will be phased out, JR East President Kise Yoichi said employees will shift to passenger-facing duties, such as offering travel support and handling station services. Even with automation, safety staff will remain onboard, and the system will later be extended to other lines beyond central Tokyo.

R East will install communication systems in train cars by around 2035 that let passengers contact onboard safety personnel. These personnel and station staff will be trained to ensure safe operations. [...] New safety measures will include using satellite data for operation of railroad crossing gates. This system will enable trains to stop automatically when an emergency button is pressed to prevent collisions. Autonomous driving is already planned for bullet trains on the Joetsu Shinkansen line linking Tokyo and Niigata, a city on the Sea of Japan. Expansion is eyed for the Hokuriku and Tohoku shinkansen lines as well.

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JR East also presented a vision for train stations 20 years into the future that eliminates fare gates. With more space on platforms, stations might double as venues for concerts or local goods markets.

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