Rise of the Machines

Episode Synopsis

Stunning CGI animation explodes open one of the world's fastest trains–the Italo AGV–to reveal the extraordinary technology that it depends on to race 300 miles in less than four hours. Driver Gabriele Cicalini pulls out of Venice's historic train station at precisely 9.55am. His Italo AGV is the Ferrari of high-speed trains, cutting through the Italian countryside at 180 miles per hour. But even with the horsepower of 16 Formula One cars behind Gabriele, arriving on time in Rome will push man and machine to the brink. En route, Gabriele must handle sharp turns, a crowded national rail network and 11-mile long tunnels. Can he keep Italo's reputation intact and deliver hundreds of passengers to Rome safely and on time? Exploring the engineering breakthroughs within this 200-meter-long metal bullet will reveal surprising secrets of how the technology evolved, inspired by extraordinary lessons from nature and history.