Excitement builds as Bengaluru gears up for its first taste of autonomous metro travel! The Chinese-built prototype of Bengaluru's first autonomous metro train will shortly be traveling to the Hebbagodi metro rail depot by mid-February. The train prototype landed at the port of Chennai. The prototype of the driverless metro train reached Bengaluru on Thursday as it was delivered at Chennai port from China last week. The train comprises six coaches and will be assembled at Electronics City. This prototype train will conduct trial runs on the Yellow line, which is set to connect RV road with Bommasandra via Silk Board. Bengaluru Metro Rail Transport Corporation Limited (BMRCL) awarded CRCC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd the contract in 2019 for 216 coaches, including this prototype train. The train assembly will take place at Electronics City, under the supervision of a group of Chinese engineers. Additionally, two trains are anticipated to arrive in Bengaluru by May, and beginning in June, two trains each month after that. These autonomous trains have a 90-second frequency and 21-meter-long coaches. 

The 19-kilometer Yellow Line, spanning 16 stops from Bommasandra to RV Road, promises to alleviate city gridlock significantly. This vital link connects the densely populated Central Silk Board district to Bommasandra. Originally slated for this month, the Yellow Line's launch has been delayed due to ongoing development work. Recognizing the challenges posed by urbanization and climate change, there will be a shift from metro to heavy rail systems with automated train operation. This transition ensures enhanced safety and efficiency, with autonomous mobility streamlining rail operations by eliminating human errors and uncertainties. By integrating technologies like Automatic Train Control, Automatic Train Protection, and Automatic Train Supervision, railways can optimize fleet coordination, leading to a more precise, dependable, and efficient network.
Autonomous technology ~
Driverless trains will be used as part of the Yellow Line's Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) signaling system, according to BMRCL officials. CBTC, sometimes referred to as "driverless technology," will be utilized in Bengaluru Metro for the first time. At the moment, Namma Metro employs the distance-to-go (TTG) signaling system, which has a 2.5-minute interval between two trains. Train headway can, however, be lowered to less than 90 seconds using CBTC. BMRCL has chosen to keep using loco pilots despite being able to run autonomous trains on the Yellow Line to ease passenger concerns. For the Yellow Line, Siemens Mobility is putting its automated train technology and CBTC system into operation. "The greatest level of automation, known as GoA 4, enables autonomous control and operation of trains. The CBTC system, which will have electronic interlockings, an automated train protection and monitoring system, and a telecommunication system, will be installed by Siemens Mobility over the Yellow Line. Siemens Mobility released a statement saying, "BMRCL will be able to run trains 90 seconds apart thanks to automated signaling and train operations, offering greater availability and an enhanced passenger experience."

Most likely, Yellow Line will begin operations in Q1 2024 ~ Months of January, February and March 

According to sources, Yellow Line won't start operating until Q1 2024. Anjum Parwez, managing director of BMRCL, stated to Moneycontrol that the first two trains from China will arrive in Bengaluru by October. They had been scheduled to come in September, but there had been some problems. He stated that their engineers are dispersed across China and their goal is to finish all of the work by December 2023. He also mentioned that they could start running seven trains on the Yellow Line. In an interview with Moneycontrol, MD and CEO of Titagarh Rail Systems Umesh Chowdhary stated that all 216 coaches for the BMRCL will be delivered by March 2025. Ninety-one of the 216 coaches (15 six-coach trains) are reserved for the Yellow Line, while the remaining 126 (21 six-coach trains) will be used on the Purple and Green lines.