Showing posts with label transport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transport. Show all posts

2012-07-11

The E-Volo Volocopter

Blade Runner: 18-Rotor "Volocopter" Moving from Concept to Prototype: Scientific American

Inventor and physicist Thomas Senkel created an Internet sensation with the October 2011 video of his maiden—and only—test flight of a spidery proof-of-concept 16-rotor helicopter dubbed Multicopter 1. Now the maker of the experimental personal aviation craft, the European start-up e-volo, is back with a revised "volocopter" design that adds two more rotors, a serial hybrid drive and long-term plans for going to 100 percent battery power.


e-volo | What is a Volocopter?


The e-volo volocopter is a completely novel, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) manned aircraft, which cannot be classified in any known category. The fact that it was conceived of as a purely electrically powered aircraft sets it apart from conventional aircraft.

Through the use of its many propellers, the volocopter can take off and land vertically like a helicopter. A considerable advantage, apart from the simple construction without complex mechanics, is the redundancy of drives. This enables the safe landing of the volocopter even if some drives fail.

E-Volo | (VIDEO) E-Volo, after proof of concept let’s talk about production, VC Evolution! | Hybrid cars, green vehicles, electric bike: TechnologicVehicles.com, showroom and news

More than a one-off prototype, Thomas Senkel who founded the company has big ambitions, after presenting the prototype of the VC Evolution 1P at Aero shiw in Friedrichshafen he recently received the Innovation Award from the Lindbergh Foundation (LEAP), therefore the development of a production models is underway.


His flying machines are dubbed Volocopter, the 2-seater could emerge first, the VC Evolution 2P for which E-Volo announces a top speed of 100kph and 1 hour of range. The production model could be launched within 2 to 3 years after the test and development phases.




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2012-05-22

The Honda UNI-CUB

Honda UNI-CUB Segway Alternative: Look Ma, No Hands! - ABC News

The Segway a bit too big for you? Or require a bit too much standing for your liking? Well, Honda’s got an interesting-looking solution in the works — the Honda UNI-CUB.

Called a “personal mobility device,” the UNI-CUB looks like a unicycle sans the cycle or wheel part. So how does it work?

Sit in the saddle and Honda’s Omni Traction Drive System lets you control the speed and direction by shifting your weight. Yep, no hands.

Honda UNI-CUB Personal Mobility Device - YouTube



Honda Motor Co. unveiled the new UNI-CUB personal mobility device, designed for harmony with people. Featuring a compact design and comfortable saddle, UNI-CUB offers the same freedom of movement in all directions that a person enjoys while walking.


Honda Worldwide | May 15, 2012 "Honda Announces New UNI-CUB Personal Mobility Device Designed for Harmony With People"

Representing the evolution of the U3-X personal mobility device that Honda announced in 2009, UNI-CUB features Honda’s proprietary balance control technology and the world’s first omni-directional driving wheel system (Honda Omni Traction Drive System). These technologies allow the rider to control speed, move in any direction, turn and stop, all simply by shifting his or her weight. Since the rider can freely move forward, backward, side-to-side and diagonally, he or she can quickly and easily maneuver among other people.

[...]

The balance control technology of UNI-CUB is part of the Honda Robotics family of technologies, which originates with Honda’s research into humanoid robots, including the world-famous ASIMO.

Going forward, Honda will continue its proactive research and development of next-generation mobility technologies, aiming always to offer more and more people the joy and fun that comes from freedom of movement.



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2012-04-08

Nissan NV200 New York's "Taxi of Tomorrow"

Nissan's Taxi of Tomorrow debuts in NYC | Fox News

New York’s iconic yellow cabs are about to get a dramatic makeover.

With Ford’s venerable Crown Victoria now officially out of production, Nissan is stepping up to fill the big sedan’s equally big shoes with its NV200 van.

That’s right. New York’s current fleet of roughly 13,200 yellow cabs, which ferry upwards of 600,000 people per day, will be phased out over the coming years and replaced with a fleet of NV200s.




Nissan CEO, New York Mayor Unveil Taxi of Tomorrow - 2012 NYIAS - Nissan Online Newsroom

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg unveiled on Tuesday the Taxi of Tomorrow, the next generation transport vehicle for the Big Apple.
In an interview with the Global Media Center, Ghosn said the taxi will be a showcase for the Nissan brand, and that he expects versions of the light commercial vehicle on the streets of other international cities.



Designed from the inside out, using input from New York taxi drivers, medallion holders, fleets and passengers, standard interior features and passenger amenities include:
  • Ample room for four passengers and their luggage, offering substantial improvements over current taxi models
  • Sliding doors with entry step and grab handles, providing easy entry and exit
  • Transparent roof panel, presenting unique views of the city
  • Opening side windows
  • Independently controlled rear air conditioning
  • Active Carbon Lined headliner to help neutralize interior odors
  • Overhead reading lights for passengers and floor lighting to help locate belongings
  • A mobile charging station for passengers, including a 12-volt electrical outlet and two USB ports
  • Breathable, antimicrobial, environment-friendly, durable and easy-to-clean seat fabric, simulating the look and feel of leather
  • Flat "no hump" passenger floor area for more comfortable ride
Other notable vehicle features are:
  • Proven 2.0L 4-cylinder powertrain, engineered to enhance the emission performance and fuel efficiency of the taxi fleet
  • 150,000 mile powertrain warranty
  • A low-annoyance horn with exterior lights that indicate when the vehicle is honking, so the horn is used less frequently. A 6-way adjustable driver's seat featuring both recline and lumbar adjustments, even with a partition installed
  • Unique driver's seat material and stitching to promote improved airflow
  • USB Auxiliary audio input and charge port for driver
  • Standard navigation system with integrated rearview backup monitor
  • Hearing Loop System for the hearing impaired
  • Driver and passenger intercom system
  • Pre-wiring for taxi T-PEP system
In addition, important safety features of the Taxi of Tomorrow include:
  • Only taxi ever to be safety tested and certified with full taxi partition
  • Front and rear-seat occupant curtain airbags, and seat-mounted airbags for the front row
  • Standard traction control and Vehicle Dynamic Control
  • Sliding doors to lessen risk of pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists getting struck by doors opening unexpectedly
  • Lights that alert other road users that taxi doors are opening


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2012-04-06

Formula 1 Superbus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi

World's First and Only Formula 1 Superbus Becoming Reality | AMOG


It turns out that there is indeed a vehicle that could be described as a “Formula 1 Superbus” that was purchased for £7 million by a sheik in the United Arab Emirates last year. Paying that much money most mean that this thing is a beast, since this hi-tech bus means he will be able to complete the 75-mile commute from Dubai to  Abu Dhabi in under 30 minutes.


Super bus takes 23 passengers and travels at 155mph | Mail Online

It has been developed at the Delft University of Technology in Holland under the direction of Professor Wubbo Ockels who in 1985 became the first Dutchman in space when he was part of the team on board the space shuttle Challenger.

The project was backed by the Dutch government, American chemicals company Dow and the Saudi conglomerate Sabic.
More than your average bus pass: The luxurious vehicle has been shipped to the Middle East to allow the sheikh to commute at high speed

Home | Superbus


“Carefree and comfortable travel, customized according to your needs. You can get in the vehicle wherever and whenever you need. It will take you to your destination without any changeovers. During the journey, you can get on with your work, or sit back and enjoy the speed and the luxury. This service will be yours for a fare which is comparable to the prices of present day’s public transport.”


This is not a dream, but a concept that formed the starting point for the development of Superbus as an innovative alternative for today’s personal mobility.




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2011-08-29

Bering Strait Tunnel

Mega Engineering: Building a Transcontinental Tunnel : Video : Discovery Channel
http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/mega-engineering-building-a-transcontinental-tunnel.html
  • An underwater transcontinental tunnel connecting Alaska and Russia offers enormous benefits and but even greater challenges.

Russia plans $65bn tunnel to America - Times Online
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1680121.ece
  • Russia has unveiled an ambitious plan to build the world’s longest tunnel under the Bering Strait as part of a transport corridor linking Europe and America via Siberia and Alaska.

     The 64-mile (103km) tunnel would connect the far east of Russia with Alaska, opening up the prospect of the ultimate rail trip across three quarters of the globe from London to New York. The link would be twice as long as the Channel Tunnel connecting Britain and France.

     The $65 billion (£33 billion) mega-project aims to transform trade links between Russia and its former Cold War enemies across some of the world’s most desolate terrain. It would create a high-speed railway line, energy links and a fibreoptic cable network.
Russia Green Lights $65 Billion Siberia-Alaska Rail and Tunnel to Bridge the Bering Strait! | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
http://inhabitat.com/russia-green-lights-65-billion-siberia-alaska-rail-and-tunnel-to-bridge-the-bering-strait/2

  • The high speed railway and tunnel will be a private public partnership whose economic impact could be startling. 100 million tons of freight could be moved per year using the most efficient known way of transport. Proposed tidal energy plants could provide 10 gigawatts of energy and a string of wind power fields could churn a constant supply of clean energy, serving as a vital link to a worldwide energy grid. The tunnel alone would take fifteen years to complete — and an energy and railway network would take many more — but the project would significantly change the shipping and energy industry.
    Bering Strait crossing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Strait_crossing
    • There have been several proposals made by various persons, TV-channels, magazines, etc. The names used for such bridges have included The Intercontinental Peace Bridge and Eurasia-America Transport Link.[1] Tunnel names have included TKM-World Link and AmerAsian Peace Tunnel. In April 2007, Russian government officials told the press that the Russian government will back a $65 billion plan by a consortium of companies to build a Bering Strait tunnel.[2] On 22 August 2011, the Daily Mail reported that the Russian government had approved a £60bn tunnel across the Bering Strait.[3][4] The £60bn comes from a rough Russian estimate of $100bn.[5]

    • Satellite image of Bering Strait. Cape Dezhnev, Russia is on the left, the two Diomede Islands are in the middle, and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska is on the right.

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    2010-08-06

    Chinese Maglev Trains To Hit 1000 km/h Within Three Years

    China develops record-breaking 600kph maglev trains


    Maglev trains that reach a world record breaking speed of 600 kilometers per hour are being developed in China, the Beijing Times reported Monday.
    The research, backed up by the theory of the vacuum magnetic suspension train, is being conducted by a state key laboratory research team of Southwest Jiaotong University, said the report. "The speed can be reached by making vacuum pipelines for maglev trains to run through, with no air resistance," said Shen Zhiyun, a member of the research team and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering.


    Maglev (transport)

    Maglev, or magnetic levitation, is a system of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles, predominantly trains, using magnetic levitation from a very large number of magnets for lift and propulsion. This method has the potential to be faster, quieter and smoother than wheeled mass transit systems. The power needed for levitation is usually not a particularly large percentage of the overall consumption; most of the power used is needed to overcome air drag, as with any other high speed train.

    China Plans 1,000 KPH Super Train

    Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) reportedly are preparing a record-shattering 1,000 kilometer per hour train, according to the Beijing Times.  

    The new trains will make use of a vacuum tube to reduce friction losses.  They will first build a prototype vacuum magnetic suspension train capable of traveling between 500 and 600 kph.  That gives it a shot at breaking the record set by Japan's JR-Maglev train, which achieved a speed of 581 km/h (361 mph).  The record for a traditional railed train was set by France's TGV at 574.8 km/h (357.18 mph).

    After the prototype, the group plans to implement a smaller train capable of speeds of as much as 1,000 kph.  Shen Zhiyun, a member of the research team, comments, "The speed can be reached by making vacuum pipelines for maglev trains to run through, with no air resistance."


    Sources
    China develops record-breaking 600kph maglev trains
    http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-08/02/content_11083037.htm
    China Developing a Train That Will Run at 620 Miles Per Hour | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
    http://inhabitat.com/2010/08/05/china-developing-a-train-that-can-go-620-miles-per-hour/
    Maglev (transport) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maglev_(transport)#Southwest_Jiaotong_University.2C_China
    DailyTech - China Plans 1,000 KPH Super Train
    http://www.dailytech.com/China+Plans+1000+KPH+Super+Train/article19268.htm

    Related
    Chinese Maglev Trains To Hit 1000 km/h Within Three Years [Chinese Maglev Trains Use Vacuum Tube To Eliminate Friction, Reach High Speeds] » TFTS – Technology, Gadgets & Curiosities
    http://nexus404.com/Blog/2010/08/05/chinese-maglev-trains-to-hit-1000-kmh-within-three-years-chinese-maglev-trains-use-vacuum-tube-to-eliminate-friction-reach-high-speeds/
    China's maglev trains to hit 1,000km/h in three years, Doc Brown to finally get 1985 squared away -- Engadget
    http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/04/chinas-maglev-trains-to-hit-1-000kph-in-three-years-doc-brown/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weblogsinc%2Fengadget+(Engadget)&utm_content=Google+Reader
    China hatches plans for 1,000 kph maglev trains for 2015 | DVICE
    http://dvice.com/archives/2010/08/china-hatches-p.php
    China's Proposed Maglev Train Will Reach Speeds of 1,000 kph
    http://www.switched.com/2010/08/05/chinas-proposed-maglev-train-will-reach-speeds-of-1-000-kph/

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    2010-08-04

    China's "3D Express Coach" Straddling Bus Can Drive Over Cars

    3D Express Coach (PICTURES): China Plans Huge Buses That Can DRIVE OVER Cars

    China may have found an environmentally friendly way to save money while easing congestion on city roads, Engadget reports.

    Instead of spending millions to widen roads, the Shenzhen Huashi Future Parking Equipment company is developing a "3D Express Coach" (also called a "three-dimensional fast bus") that will allow cars less than 2 meters high to travel underneath the upper level carrying passengers.
    Straddling buses will be made to fit under city overpasses.
    A view from under one of the road-straddling buses. Cars less than 2 meters high will be able to pass underneath these giant buses. 
    When completed, the straddling buses will run on "relay charges" of electricity and solar power.
    The front and rear of the buses will emit ultrasonic waves to keep trucks or too-tall cars from entering the "tunnel."

    CHINA'S - 3 D EXPRESS COACH.wmv





    Chinahush - Sotries of China

    “Straddling” bus–a cheaper, greener and faster alternative to commute



    Proposed by Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co., Ltd, the model looks like a subway or light-rail train bestriding the road. It is 4-4.5 m high with two levels: passengers board on the upper level while other vehicles lower than 2 m can go through under. Powered by electricity and solar energy, the bus can speed up to 60 km/h carrying 1200-1400 passengers at a time without blocking other vehicles’ way. Also it costs about 500 million yuan to build the bus and a 40-km-long path for it, only 10% of building equivalent subway. It is said that the bus can reduce traffic jams by 20-30%.

    Here is the presentation by Song Youzhou, chairman of  Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co., Ltd.




    Sources
    3D Express Coach (PICTURES): China Plans Huge Buses That Can DRIVE OVER Cars
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/02/3d-express-coach-pictures_n_667452.html#s121539
    YouTube - CHINA'S - 3 D EXPRESS COACH.wmv
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YttTWHftVh4
    “Straddling” bus–a cheaper, greener and faster alternative to commute « ChinaHush
    http://www.chinahush.com/2010/07/31/straddling-bus-a-cheaper-greener-and-faster-alternative-to-commute/
    YouTube - China Straddling Bus
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQxP_un15iQ

    Related
    Google Translate
    http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hsfuture.com%2F&sl=zh-CN&tl=en
    China to build ginormous buses that cars can drive under (video) -- Engadget
    http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/02/china-to-build-ginormous-buses-that-cars-can-drive-under-video/
    China's '3D Fast Bus' Straddles the Road So Cars Can Drive Under : TreeHugger
    http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/08/chinas-3d-fast-bus-straddling-road-cars-can-drive-under-video.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
    China's Two-Lane-Wide "Straddling Bus" Carries Passengers Overhead, Lets Traffic Pass Underneath | Popular Science
    http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2010-08/chinas-straddling-bus-carries-passengers-overhead-lets-traffic-pass-underneath


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    2010-02-04

    Seymourpowell Aircruise Concept

    Clipped from: Seymourpowell introduces the Aircruise - a clipper in the clouds

    Seymourpowell introduces the Aircruise - a clipper in the clouds



    Visionary concept work for Samsung C&T explores the future of travel and transport.

    London, UK, 03 February 2010 - Leading design and innovation company Seymourpowell is today unveiling full details of its visionary transportation concept, Aircruise - a giant, vertical airship powered by natural energy and designed to carry travellers in style and luxury.
    Originally a self-generated project, Seymourpowell's Aircruise is the concept design for a hotel in the sky, with low passenger numbers and huge internal spaces offering room for living, dining and relaxing, as well as scope for dramatic and inspirational public spaces. The initial design proposes a bar/lounge zone, four duplex apartments, a penthouse and five smaller apartments.
    Clipped from: YouTube - Seymourpowell Aircruise Concept

    This is the latest animation by design and innovation company Seymourpowell of its visionary transportation concept, Aircruise - a giant, vertical airship powered by natural energy and designed to carry travellers in style and luxury.

    Clipped from: Aircruise: giant hydrogen airships could herald a new era in luxury travel - Telegraph

    Aircruise: giant hydrogen airships could herald a new era in luxury travel



    Towering kite-shaped airships could herald a new era of luxury transport following the introduction of the Aircruise concept. Standing 30 metres taller than One Canada Square in Canary Wharf, packing 330,000 cubic metres of hydrogen gas and capable of lifting 396 tonnes, the Aircruise concept features penthouse apartments, bars and dizzying glass viewing floors



    Aircruise was created as the antithesis of a hurried, crowded passenger jet. London-based design and innovation company Seymourpowell wanted to rethink transport - on the premise 'slow is the new fast'



    Silent and pollution free, the Aircruise combines solar power with a primary hydrogen drive for a cruising speed of around 90mph

    Sources:
    1. Seymourpowell introduces the Aircruise - a clipper in the clouds
    2. YouTube - Seymourpowell Aircruise Concept
    3. Aircruise: giant hydrogen airships could herald a new era in luxury travel - Telegraph
    Related:
    1. Product Designers and Product Design consultants - Seymourpowell
    2. Aircruise concept design - a set on Flickr
    3. Seymourpowell Aircruise Hydrogen Powered Airship Concept Unveiled | Hydrogen Cars and Vehicles
    4. Lighter Than Air Vehicle Blends A Cruise Ship And A Floating Hotel - Born Rich
    5. Aircruise Hydrogen Airship Embarks On A New Era In Luxury Travel - The Design blog
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    2010-01-25

    Slime Mould Simulates Railwaiy Network

    Clipped from: CBC News - Technology & Science - Slime mould mimics Tokyo's railway

    CBCnews

    Slime mould mimics Tokyo's railway

    A single-celled slime mould mindlessly foraging for food can create a network as efficient as the Tokyo rail system, researchers say.



    A team of Japanese and British researchers say the behaviour of the amoeba-like mould could lead to better design of computer or communication networks. The slime mould Physarum polycephalum grows to connect itself to food sources as part of its normal behaviour.
    The mould "can find the shortest path through a maze or connect different arrays of food sources in an efficient manner," wrote Atsushi Tero of Hokkaido University and his colleagues in this week's issue of Science.


    Clipped from: Better transit design through ... slime mold? - LiveScience- msnbc.com

    Better transit design through ... slime mold?




    The left image shows slime mold growing out from an initial food source to colonize other food sources (white dots) arranged like a map of Tokyo rail stations. After 26 hours of growth, the mold resolved itself into a network of tubes that efficiently connected the food sources.



    Clipped from: Ride the Slime Mold Express! -- Wogan 2010 (121): 1 -- ScienceNOW

    Ride the Slime Mold Express!

    The work is "a very interesting example of how biology can inspire new methods in technological design," says Melanie Mitchell, a computer scientist at Portland State University in Oregon. But she's not quite ready to jump on the slime mold express. "This paper uses only one relatively simple example," she cautions. "It's not obvious that similar experiments would work as well for matching other transport networks."


    Sources:
    1. CBC News - Technology & Science - Slime mould mimics Tokyo's railway
    2. Better transit design through ... slime mold? - LiveScience- msnbc.com
    3. Ride the Slime Mold Express! -- Wogan 2010 (121): 1 -- ScienceNOW
    4. Rules for Biologically Inspired Adaptive Network Design -- Tero et al. 327 (5964): 439 -- Science
       Related:
    1. Slime design mimics Tokyo's rail system
    2. BBC News - Engineers 'can learn from slime'
    3. FOXNews.com - Can Slime Molds Solve Traffic Jams?
    4. Observations: Slime mold validates efficiency of Tokyo rail network
    5. Slime mould attacks simulates Tokyo rail network : Not Exactly Rocket Science
    6. Brainless Slime Mold Builds a Replica Tokyo Subway | 80beats | Discover Magazine
        
    Labels: , ,

    2010-01-05

    Siemens Rapid Charging For EVs on Smart Power Grid


    EDISON Project Would Rather Blow to Charge, Than G - Watch the best video clips here

    ≡ Siemens to Test Six Minute Charging For EVs on 33% Wind Powered Grid

    Sven Holthusen runs the EDISON project at Siemens’ Energy Sector in the Denmark branch of the international engineering giant. The EDISON project is working on raising charging power to as much as 300 kW so that batteries can be recharged on the go, in as little as six minutes.

    clipped from w1.siemens.com
    eCar

    Tomorrow’s electric vehicles will redefine mobility. Not only will they recharge in only minutes at fast-charge stations. They will also function as mobile power storage units for the smart grid

    eCar
    clipped from w1.siemens.com

    The range of today’s electric vehicles cannot yet compare to that of automobiles equipped with combustion engines, necessitating the strategic placement of charging stations. A Siemens energy management system routes drivers according to the charge status of their vehicles, so that they can adapt their routes to the location of, and the availability of energy at, the charging stations.

    		blog it

    Sources:
    1. EDISON Project Would Rather Blow to Charge, Than G - Video
    2. EDISON Project | Renewable Energy News Syndicator
    3. Siemens AG - eCar
    4. Siemens AG - New Project for Eco-Electricity Charging StationsRelated:
    Related:
    1. Siemens to reduce battery recharging times to 6 minutes | Electric Vehicle News
    2. Siemens to Test Six Minute Charging For EVs on 33% Wind Powered Grid : Gas 2.0
    3. Edison | Edison
    4. Delivery of first EV | Edison
    Labels: , , ,

    2009-11-11

    SARTRE -- Safe Road Trains for the Environment

    clipped from www.wired.com

    With Road Trains, Highways Become Public Transportation

    line-o-cars

    Researchers in the European Union are using telematics to create “road trains” that join the benefits of carpooling with the freedom of driving alone.

    roadtrain1
    clipped from www.ricardo.com
    Navigate to the Ricardo homepage

    Cars that drive themselves can become reality within ten years

    A new EU project SARTRE is being launched to develop and test technology for vehicles that can drive themselves in long road trains on motorways. This technology has the potential to improve traffic flow and journey times, offer greater comfort to drivers, reduce accidents, and improve fuel consumption and hence lower CO2 emissions.
    clipped from news.bbc.co.uk
    British Broadcasting Corporation

    'Road trains' get ready to roll

    How a road train could work

    clipped from news.bbc.co.uk
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/dhtml_slides/09/road_train/img/road_train1_466.gif
    clipped from news.bbc.co.uk
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/dhtml_slides/09/road_train/img/road_train2_466.gif
    clipped from news.bbc.co.uk
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/dhtml_slides/09/road_train/img/road_train3_466.gif
    clipped from news.bbc.co.uk
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/dhtml_slides/09/road_train/img/road_train4_466.gif
    clipped from news.bbc.co.uk
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/dhtml_slides/09/road_train/img/road_train5_466.gif
    clipped from news.bbc.co.uk

    The lead vehicle would be handled by a professional driver who would monitor the status of the road train. Those in following vehicles could take their hands off the wheel, read a book or watch TV, while they travel along the motorway. Their vehicle would be controlled by the lead vehicle.


    		blog it

    Sources:
    1. With Road Trains, Highways Become Public Transportation | Autopia | Wired.com
    2. Cars that drive themselves can become reality within ten years - Ricardo
    3. BBC NEWS | Technology | 'Road trains' get ready to roll
    Related:
    1. Project Sartre uses road trains to save fuel on the highway — Autoblog Green
    2. Inhabitat » Wireless Road Trains Keep Highway Vehicles Linked Together
    3. Green Car Congress: EU SARTRE Project Targets Autonomous Road Trains; Enhanced Safety and Lower Fuel Consumption
    4. Welcome to Volvo Cars Newsroom
    Labels: , ,
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