China Debuts First Embodied-Intelligence Metro Train

China has unveiled VELLINK, its first “embodied-intelligence” digital metro train, a vehicle developed by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. that the company says can perceive its surroundings, make decisions and optimize its own operations rather than simply executing preset commands.

The train, built on the China Standard Metro technology platform and jointly developed with Chengdu Rail Transit Group and other institutions, was formally presented at the 15th InnoTrans international rail technology exhibition in Berlin, held September 22–25, 2026. According to Xinhua News, the vehicle marks a new milestone in applying artificial intelligence and digital technology to urban rail transit.

From Executing Commands to Optimizing Operations

At the heart of VELLINK is what its developers call embodied intelligence — AI paired with a physical body that can sense and act on the real world. The train relies on a network of territory-wide sensors, self-developed AI algorithms and high-speed communications to achieve what the company describes as intelligent perception, decision-making and interaction.

“VELLINK is the first in the world to carry embodied-intelligence technology,” train design manager Yin Hang said. Relying on its sensor network, in-house AI algorithms and high-speed communications, the train “can shift from passively executing instructions to actively optimizing operations.”

The system draws on radar, high-definition cameras and multi-source sensors processed through a multimodal perception model that monitors the line environment and running state in real time, anticipating changes in conditions and equipment. Using car-to-car communication and an onboard edge-computing platform alongside CRRC’s self-developed “Zhuolun” large model, the train can formulate driving strategies on its own. The driver console uses smart displays, holographic projection and biometric recognition, while an intelligent travel-service system supplies passengers with transfer, tourism, dining and entertainment information.

Engineering Gains: Lighter, Leaner, Quieter

According to the original report in Science and Technology Daily, VELLINK was engineered to address the redundancy, complex electrical layout and high energy consumption of conventional metro trains, optimizing three areas: system architecture, power supply and load-bearing structure.

The train was the first to apply a “functional domain” concept, merging intelligent operation, passenger service and real-time monitoring into a single framework. The result: the control host was streamlined by 50 percent and onboard wiring reduced by 30 percent. A redesigned voltage-conversion stage for the air-conditioning and auxiliary power systems raised power efficiency by about 9 percent, while the roof, air ducts and thermal-acoustic insulation were integrated into single components that simultaneously carry load, deliver air and insulate.

In terms of green performance, the train makes large-scale use of lightweight materials including carbon fiber, magnesium-aluminum alloy and polycarbonate, combined with inboard-bogie bogies, electro-mechanical braking and an integrated roof, cutting overall weight by roughly 18 percent. Permanent-magnet traction and silicon-carbide high-efficiency converters push comprehensive energy savings past 10 percent and reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by about 15 percent. Inside, biodegradable floor coverings, paint-free wall panels and water-based paints are used alongside oil-free air compressors, air purification and elastic wheels.

Designed for Passengers, Not Just Engineers

The vehicle’s industrial design, themed “Dream of Harmony,” won an international iF Design Award. A panoramic floor-to-ceiling curved front window with dedicated running lights gives the cab an open feel, while a nanofiber light-guide “starry sky” ceiling simulates a drifting nebula to ease passenger fatigue. The transparent area of cabin windows was enlarged by 40 percent, and rotating and electric-folding seats allow the train to adapt to peak and off-peak passenger flows, raising capacity by about 14 percent. A floating floor structure and new damping materials cut running noise by 3 decibels.

As Xinhua’s Jilin bureau reported, crowds gathered at the real-train launch, and VELLINK quickly became a highlight of the Berlin exhibition, drawing keen interest from professional visitors from many countries. It was the first time CRRC Changchun exhibited an actual train abroad.

A Brand Built for Export

The choice of an English-language brand name and the decision to launch it on the international stage at InnoTrans — widely regarded as the “Olympics” of the rail industry — signal that CRRC is aiming squarely at overseas urban-rail markets. Local coverage framed the train as a point of regional pride, emphasizing its “Made in Changchun” origins and the contributions of domestic suppliers, including gangway-system provider Chongqing Yonggui Transit, as The Paper reported.

The project also fits China’s broader policy narrative of “dual carbon” goals and “new quality productive forces,” tying advances in AI directly to green, low-carbon outcomes.

What’s Next

VELLINK remains a demonstrator rather than a train in revenue service. Its real test will come when the claimed efficiency, energy and reliability gains are verified in daily operation across a full metro network — and when international buyers weigh a Chinese-standard platform against entrenched European and Japanese suppliers.

The “world-first” embodied-intelligence claim is attributed to the developer and domestic media rather than independently verified, and should be read as a company assertion. What is clear is the direction of travel: China’s rail industry is now marketing not just rolling stock, but an integrated intelligent-transport vision to the world.