ITB and PT INKA Collaboration Realizes Smart and Environmentally Friendly Transportation Through Battery-Powered Autonomous Tram Trials in Mixed Traffic in Solo City
The Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and PT Industri Kereta Api (PT INKA) have collaborated to introduce a battery-powered autonomous tram tested on Jalan Slamet Riyadi, Solo. This project is part of an environmentally friendly transportation innovation developed over the past three years. The tram is designed to operate in mixed traffic and is expected to become a safe and sustainable public mobility solution in the future...
The autonomous tram is equipped with sensor technologies such as cameras, radar, LiDAR, and GNSS, which are integrated with an artificial intelligence (AI) system. This technology enables the tram to recognize its surrounding environment under various weather conditions and to make autonomous decisions to control the tram through a drive-by-wire system. With a battery capacity of 200 kWh, the tram can travel up to 90 km on a single charge, making it efficient and environmentally friendly. ..
Figure 1. Vice President Gibran Rakabuming inspects the autonomous tram and encourages the development of renewable energy–based autonomous trams.
Figure 2. Collaboration between ITB, LPDP, and PT INKA in testing battery-powered autonomous trams for sustainable public transportation.
Vice President Gibran Rakabuming attended the tram trial in person at Purwosari Station on 2 November 2024, accompanied by local officials and the Director of Operations of PT INKA. He expressed hope that this environmentally friendly technology could be replicated in other cities across Indonesia, in line with the priorities of President Prabowo’s government to support carbon emission reduction and create a cleaner and greener environment.
Prof. Bambang Riyanto, Head of the ITB Research Team for the project entitled “Development of an Autonomous System Using Artificial Intelligence for Electric Autonomous Trams,” explained that the development of the autonomous tram system is rich in AI technology with a strong emphasis on efficiency and safety. “This system allows the tram to operate both with and without a driver in mixed traffic environments. The tram is also equipped with object detection, collision avoidance assist, driver attention warning, and speed limit assist features in driver-operated mode to enhance safety, and with autonomous emergency braking systems in autonomous mode to prevent potential collisions. We hope that the results of this research will become a new milestone for smart, renewable energy–based public transportation in Indonesia that can be implemented in various major cities,” he stated. . . ., . And . . .
This collaboration carries a grand vision to deliver smart, safe, and environmentally friendly renewable energy–based transportation in Indonesia. With support from the Education Fund Management Institution (LPDP), the autonomous tram not only reduces carbon emissions but also opens opportunities for the advancement of transportation technology in Indonesia. ITB and PT INKA hope that the results of this trial will bring Indonesia one step closer to greener and more modern smart cities in the future.
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