This Futurist Transit System Requires No Power
Alyssa Pittao — June 29, 2014 — Autos
References: wired
Israel Aerospace Industries is working with California-based SkyTran to build a powerless pod transit system on their Tele Aviv campus. Although magnetic pod system technology is nothing new, the successful implementation of a small test track, and its expansion into into a mass transit system, could greatly reduce the inner city congestion of Tele Aviv.
A larger system has the ability to shuttle as many as 12,000 people per track per hour, making the crowded metropolis a perfect guinea pig for the futurist elevated pods. Powerless and automated, the elevated pods float from inside the low maintenance magnetic tracks, requiring only an initial boost of energy to send the pod flying onwards. From launch, the pod can reach speeds of up to 44 mph. Simpler than hailing a taxi cab, passengers use their phones to call a pod and direct it to an exact destination. Questions of funding and slow speed times aside, it may be interesting to see how the application of this personal car and monorail hybrid would operate on a city wide scale.
A larger system has the ability to shuttle as many as 12,000 people per track per hour, making the crowded metropolis a perfect guinea pig for the futurist elevated pods. Powerless and automated, the elevated pods float from inside the low maintenance magnetic tracks, requiring only an initial boost of energy to send the pod flying onwards. From launch, the pod can reach speeds of up to 44 mph. Simpler than hailing a taxi cab, passengers use their phones to call a pod and direct it to an exact destination. Questions of funding and slow speed times aside, it may be interesting to see how the application of this personal car and monorail hybrid would operate on a city wide scale.
Trend Themes
1. Powerless Pod Transit - The development of a mass transit system using magnetic pod technology which requires no power could disrupt traditional public transportation systems.
2. Automated Personal Transit - The use of phones to call and direct elevated pods to specific destinations could disrupt traditional ride-hailing services and eliminate the need for personal cars in crowded urban areas.
3. Magnetic Track Technology - The expansion and development of magnetic track technology for mass transit could replace traditional train systems and improve transportation efficiency in cities.
Industry Implications
1. Public Transportation - The powerless pod transit system could disrupt traditional public transportation systems by offering a more efficient and convenient mode of transit.
2. Ride-hailing - Automated personal transit could disrupt the ride-hailing industry by offering a more efficient and cost-effective mode of transit.
3. Train Transportation - The development and implementation of magnetic track technology could disrupt traditional train systems and offer a more efficient means of transportation in densely populated urban areas.
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