PR87862

SHANGHAI, Feb. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Trial operations officially commenced for the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone T1

Demonstration Line in the Lin-gang New Area. As one of the companies involved

in the construction of the T1 Demonstration Line, Shanghai Electric Automation

Group, a member of Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited, developed China's

first intelligent digital-rail transport system ("iDRT") for the digital

rail-guided rubber-tired tram ("DRT") used on the line. Shanghai Electric

supplied the digital track, operation management system, network communications

system, communications backbone, intelligent platform system and control center

for the demonstration line; as well as managing the supply, installation and

other services related to electromechanical systems.

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1429402/video_1.mp4

The T1 Demonstration Line spans nine stations across a total length of 21.7

kilometers, and is expected to be fully operational to the public by June this

year. The vehicle is China's first to adopt the DRT system, a world-leading

technology that uses sensors on the tram to collect information from magnetic

markers on the road's surface, guide the vehicle's position in real-time, and

control the direction of the rubber tires as the vehicle moves. In a

significant leap forward for green transportation in the Lin-gang New Area, the

T1 Demonstration Line will commence operations on pure electric power while

hydrogen refueling stations are being constructed, with plans to fully switch

to hydrogen power once applicable.

The demonstration line uses world-leading magnetic nail navigation and

under-vehicle sensor technology, which boasts a short construction period and

less road surface occupation, while also delivering significant energy savings

and emission reductions. The DRT requires just half the construction investment

for traditional trams, meeting the ambition of the Lin-gang New Area to create

a green, intelligent and extensive transportation ecosystem.

At the core of the T1 Demonstration Line is a new lightweight, intelligent

medium-capacity digital-rail transit system that uses magnetic markers as

virtual tram tracks, leverages autonomous digital rail-guided rubber tire trams

as vehicles, and adopts modern tram operation control methods. The operation

control and management system boasts automatic tracking, auxiliary operations

and safety as its main features, powered by high-precision sensor positioning

technology, centralized control technology, and intelligent transportation

management technology.

As a result, the iDRT can control the operation of the tram along the digital

track with world-leading precision, and drive autonomously under independent

right-of-way conditions. The vehicle is able to adjust its speed, avoid

barriers and perform other operations to ensure safety, regardless of the

weather. Meanwhile, drivers receive comprehensive information regarding target

speed, stops and track deviation. With the combination of low cost and flexible

operations, this groundbreaking transit system can be run using existing roads

in cities – saving the trouble of building fixed rails and making it the ideal

choice for urban transportation.

Following extensive development and testing, the iDRT has now entered the

promotion and application demonstration stage. The T1 Demonstration Line is a

valuable platform to demonstrate the commercial applications of the iDRT

system, while facilitating iterative updates of existing technologies and

products throughout the process. These tests will lay the groundwork for future

promotions of the system in domestic and international markets.

The commercial applications of the DRT equipped with iDRT in the Lin-gang New

Area will further advance the research and development of Shanghai's digital

tram standards. At the same time, the launch of the T1 Demonstration Line will

promote the coordinated development and intelligent maintenance of iDRT

systems, as well as the adoption of the system in other self-driving

demonstration lines.

SOURCE  Shanghai Electric