TOKYO >> A self-driving Yamanote Line train went for a test run in Tokyo on Jan. 7, as East Japan Railway Co. unveiled its latest technology.

The company, known as JR East, is accelerating the development of self-driving technologies, aiming to manage an expected future driver shortage due to the declining population.

Starting late last month, JR East collected data by testing a train equipped with the automatic train operation system on the circular Yamanote Line in central Tokyo, after the last scheduled train.

Although a driver was on board in case of emergency, the driver did not accelerate or decelerate the train. The driver simply pressed a button when departing each station.

The train stopped by itself and sped up automatically when it determined it was arriving later than scheduled.

Although at some stations the train was slightly off the mark from exact stopping points, the train was able to run almost on schedule. It has yet to be decided when the technology will be introduced and to which lines, but a JR East official said, “We hope the technology will be put into practical use as soon as possible.”