Washington Metro Introduces Automatic Train Operation on Green and Yellow Lines

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has begun using Automatic Train Operation (ATO) on the Green and Yellow Metro lines in Washington, D.C..

The rollout, which commenced on Friday, 23 May, follows a period of internal training, system testing, and approval from the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission.

ATO automates certain driving functions, including acceleration, braking, and speed regulation. The system receives commands from trackside equipment, supporting a more consistent travel experience and helping to maintain scheduled service intervals.

Train operators will remain in the cab and continue to carry out key responsibilities. These include monitoring the platform before departure, ensuring doors are safely closed, and keeping watch for any safety or operational issues along the route. The use of ATO will allow drivers to focus more on observing conditions both inside and outside the train.

The system will not be active during certain operational scenarios, such as adverse weather, single tracking, or when track workers are present.

Washington Metro first introduced ATO on the Red Line in December. This launch has not since resulted in any reported safety incidents or violations of red signals. The agency also noted that end-to-end travel times on the Red Line have been shortened.

Metro plans to continue monitoring the use of ATO as it is expanded to other parts of the network.