It's reported that Pujiang Line of Shanghai Rail Transit adopts the new-generation INNOVIA APM 300 developed by Bombardier (Puzhen), which is called by experts the world most advanced unmanned APM. It ushers in a new era for domestic rail transit.
APM (Automated-People-Mover-Systems) is an automatic passenger delivery system. It is a fully automatic unmanned transit technology mostly applied to short-distance ferry lines within an airport. In 2014, Bombardier and CRRC Puzhen co-founded a joint venture, CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co., Ltd, to engage in system design, production, integration, and sales of straddle monorail and APM. Trains of Pujiang Line are the first APM project launched by the joint venture since it went into operation in China.
From an overall perspective, APM features unmanned operation, dedicated line, glue wheel, monorail guide, and full automation. It belongs to the self-guided rail transit system and totally differs from metro, light rail, and other existing urban rail transit modes. This is why Shanghai Metro Line 8 (Phase 3) is called Pujiang Line.
Currently, CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co., Ltd is fulfilling its potential in the "unmanned driving" field. Besides Shanghai Metro Line 8 that has been put into trial run, the Hong Kong Airport Express, Shanghai Metro Line 14, Line 10, Suzhou Metro Line 5, straddle monorails in Wuhu and Liuzhou, as well as the metro and straddle monorail launched in Thailand, all run in unmanned mode.
