Testing has begun for the first phase of Singapore’s driverless Downtown Line.
Invensys Rail Dimetronic has been trialling its unmanned signalling technology at a test track in the city of Changchun since September 2011.
With functional tests now complete, dynamic testing will begin before the system is taken to Singapore in March for a series of trial runs.
The initial 4 km section, which will include six stations, is expected to open in October 2013.
The Downtown Line, which will have a total length of 42 kms, and include 34 stations and two depots, is expected to transport more than half a million passengers per day.
Bombardier has delivered 219 driverless Movia metro cars for the Downtown Line. Once complete the line will become the world’s longest driverless underground mass rapid transit (MRT) system.
