World’s first autonomous tram sets off in Germany

Within a week after launching the world’s first hydrogen-powered train, Germany has now introduced the world’s first autonomous tram in the city of Potsdam, foreshadowing a future where heavy vehicles rely on artificial intelligence to safely and efficiently navigate the roads.

The AI-powered tram, developed by the German engineering company Siemens, is highly perceptive of its surroundings, both animate and inanimate, and autonomously reacts to hazards faster than a human, courtesy its multiple radars, lidar, and camera sensors, notes New Atlas.

Along with the promise of a more efficient and safer travel, the AI-powered tram brings concerns of job cut for the drivers, writes The Guardian. The tram depot of Potsdam’s transport company ViP has assured there would be no lay-offs, promising to accommodate the workforce elsewhere in the system.