While you may be burned out reading another article on driverless cars and advanced transportation technologies, it’s a good idea to stay current on where it’s all headed…..
Hyperloop: The 800 mpg train traveling through airless tubes and initiated by Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk is more than a pipe dream. Musk’s design scheme was hatched in August, but the technology is in development. An experienced team who played a role in the SpaceX space transport company (also headed by Musk) is now assembling a team of developers to make it happen.
Maglev trains: “Magnetic levitation” trains are already in operation in Shanghai and Japan; South Korea is building one for Incheon Airport, and China has a second maglev in development. A magnetic force lifts and propels the train using a minimal amount of. The trains whisk passengers along at up to 310 miles per hour. The main issue with maglev trains is the high cost of development.
Autonomous vehicles: Google continues leading the charge. It now uses a fleet of about 24 Lexus RX450h vehicles that have logged a total of about 500,000 miles on California roads. There are many prototypes already on the road, especially those being tested by Google in San Francisco. Nevada has already created laws that make them legal to use in cities, including Las Vegas.
Smart cars: Smaller, smarter cars are being designed to deal with urban transportation problems. Many automakers, including BMW and Nissan. already offer compact electric cars. Other small cars will be used in carsharing and will be able to take up much less parking space of garages are designed efficiently.
Urban transport pods: Pod vehicles that seat one person and move on their own over a pre-described route are being tested about 45 miles northwest of London. The passenger interacts with the pod using a touchscreen in the windshield. You swipe to select a destination, and you can read the daily news, check your e-mail or even play a video game during the trip.
