D.C. officials advance plan as Los Angeles seeks fully automated line

Years of implementation, technical hurdles and upfront costs challenge transit automation

Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles are pursuing fully automated mass transit as robotaxis become more prevalent in the United States. In Washington, D.C., officials recently advanced a plan that could let computers fully control one subway, while Los Angeles is seeking to build a completely automated line. Both projects would take years to implement and still face financial and technical hurdles.

Even as robotaxis grow more prevalent, almost every mass transit system still requires a driver or operator on board. The Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles projects would change that operating model on the lines or systems they cover.

In Washington, D.C., officials recently advanced a proposal that could give computers full control of one subway. The plan would take years to implement, and financial and technical hurdles remain.

Los Angeles is seeking to build a new, completely automated line. That project also would span years and still face financial and technical hurdles. Its proposal is separate from the Washington, D.C., plan, but both would put automated operations into the U.S. mass transit system.

Honolulu already has an automated transit system, providing an operating example within the United States. Unlike the two proposed projects, however, that system already exists.

The Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles projects come amid a fierce debate over the safety risks and benefits of automated trains. Supporters call the push long overdue. Another central question is whether the substantial upfront expense of automated transit can be justified by long-term savings in labor costs.

Financing and technical requirements add to that uncertainty. Both proposals still face financial and technical hurdles, even as long-term labor-cost savings remain part of the case for automation.

Supporters also point to the international gap. They say American cities lag far behind numerous places across the world that run unattended subways, metros or buses. The examples include cities in Europe and Asia, as well as major systems in Canada, Australia, South America and the Middle East.

The three cities remain at different stages: Washington, D.C., has advanced a plan, Los Angeles is seeking to build a line, and Honolulu already has an automated system. The broader operating reality across nearly all U.S. mass transit remains unchanged, with a driver or operator still required on board.