CRRC Unveils World's First Metro Train with Embodied AI in Berlin
On September 22, the 15th Berlin International Rail Technology Expo, known as InnoTrans, opened with CRRC presenting a green-intelligent digital metro train. The vehicle is developed on CRRC's VELLINK urban rail vehicle platform and is equipped with multi-source sensors across the train to form an autonomous perception system. According to CRRC, the system can identify track conditions in real time, judge anomalies, and provide early warnings for faults, making it the world's first metro train to apply embodied intelligence technology.
The concept of embodied intelligence here differs from embodied AI in humanoid robots. For a metro train, it means the train itself serves as a physical entity with autonomous perception and decision-making abilities. The multi-source sensors act like a sensory and judgment system, allowing the train to continuously monitor its own state and surroundings rather than relying solely on external inspections.
Compared with traditional urban rail vehicles, the new train uses lightweight materials and multi-system integration to reduce overall weight by about 18 percent. Comprehensive energy consumption is lowered by more than 10 percent, underscoring the train's green credentials. CRRC says the design aims to improve energy efficiency while maintaining operational performance.
The autonomous perception system is intended to move condition monitoring from periodic checks to continuous, onboard awareness. CRRC says this can help operators detect potential issues before they lead to service disruptions, reducing dependence on manual inspections and scheduled maintenance. For metro operators, the shift could improve availability and lower maintenance costs over time.
The launch took place at a major global rail industry event, where digitalization and artificial intelligence are increasingly central themes. By moving perception and decision-making onto the train itself, CRRC is positioning the metro as part of a broader shift toward smarter, more autonomous rail systems. The company also used the fair to present other low-carbon and intelligent rolling stock, signaling a multi-pronged approach to rail innovation.
The embodied intelligence on the metro is not the same as embodied AI in humanoid robots. For a metro train, it means the train itself acts as a physical entity with autonomous perception and decision-making capabilities. Multi-source sensors across the vehicle allow it to recognize track conditions in real time, detect anomalies, and warn of faults, effectively giving the train a sense of perception and judgment.
Traditional metro condition monitoring relies on periodic maintenance and manual inspections, so faults are often discovered after they occur. The autonomous perception system aims to make monitoring real-time and continuous, providing early warnings before failures happen. For operators, this could reduce reliance on manual inspections and shift maintenance from reactive to preventive, helping limit service disruptions.
CRRC also released two other vehicles on the same day: the VELFORCE 2,000-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell hybrid locomotive and the MAGIX intelligent flat car. The hydrogen fuel cell hybrid locomotive uses dual-stack parallel fuel cell technology, can be refueled in 15 to 20 minutes, and achieves hydrogen utilization above 98 percent. CRRC says it is the world's first locomotive of its type to disclose full lifecycle environmental performance.
The MAGIX intelligent flat car uses lightweight design to reduce energy consumption from the source and is mainly aimed at station shunting and multimodal transport scenarios. By targeting yard and intermodal operations, CRRC is extending green and intelligent technologies beyond mainline services.
Frank Schper, global senior vice president of TÜV Rheinland's rail business, said artificial intelligence is an important technology direction for the rail industry. He said it is expected to accelerate research and development and promote further integration between different systems. As AI takes on more roles in vehicle perception and decision-making, safety assessment will become more important.
InnoTrans is held every two years. This edition attracted more than 3,100 exhibitors worldwide, including more than 200 Chinese companies such as CRRC, China State Railway Group, and Huawei, with the scale expanding further from the previous edition. The turnout underscores the global rail sector's growing focus on intelligent and low-carbon technologies, and the increasing participation of Chinese firms.