Technological advances happen in a blink of an eye. When you think of transportation innovations, what comes to your mind?
How will transportation change in the future?
Why does transportation need to change?
In this article, we will discuss the future of transportation.
Future Transportation Ideas
Scientists have come to the conclusion that transportation technology is all about efficiency, ease, and safety. Here are some future transportation ideas.
Hyperloops
Hyperloops are a proposed transportation system for freight and passengers. Their speed would surpass the speed of a commercial airline. Using powerful magnets to propel the passenger tube would save on energy and the cost it takes to operate the technology. Hyperloops are still being put to the test, but are a travel method of the future.
Underground tunneling
There’s no mystery to underground tunneling. It’s exactly what it sounds like. This is a transportation method and system to transport people or goods below the Earth’s surface. This form of travel minimizes traffic congestion and can travel at higher speeds. Underground tunneling would also improve the overall environmental effects of current car travel.
Autonomous vehicles
Autonomous or self-driving vehicles are something every major car manufacturer hopes to achieve. Something like this at one point seemed impossible, but now self-driving cars are becoming a reality. These vehicles take millions of data points into account every second through a variety of sensors, software, and GPS. This method of transportation is relatively new but will ultimately have a massive impact on the overall future of transportation.
Last-mile robots
Last-mile robots will change how the shipping industry operates. Instead of relying on a delivery driver or postal worker to drop off the item at your front door, companies are now employing robots that traverse cities and glide down sidewalks to deliver your package straight to your door.
Electric vehicles
Electric vehicles have advanced transportation. Because electric vehicles rely on a battery charge, refueling at a gas station is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Also, electric bikes and scooters have become viable transportation methods for traversing neighborhoods or entire cities. These vehicles provide ease of use and convenience that hasn’t been provided by other last-mile forms of transport.
Flying taxis
Companies like Uber, Boeing, and Airbus have started developing flying taxi technology. Uber is working towards building flying taxis. The goal is to build a flying taxi that is electrically powered and that will take passengers to their destinations.
An example of such a flying taxi is the Volocopter, an autonomous aircraft powered by electrical energy. NASA will use the latest airspace management computer models and simulations to assess the impact of small aircraft – from delivery drones to passenger aircraft with vertical take-off and landing capabilities – in crowded environments.
Multi-directional elevators
These elevators would move horizontally rather than vertically up and down a shaft. They would consist of several elevators that operate on an electromagnetic track. Following the principles of maglev (magnetic levitation), the cabins move up one shaft, move horizontally, and descend to another shaft, creating a continuous loop.
Compared to conventional cable-operated elevators, the new system requires fewer and smaller shafts, which increases the usable area of a building by up to 25 percent.
Transportation in the Future
The pandemic has certainly changed transportation and how people think about it. Here are some future transportation trends.
Remote work and distance learning
The pandemic has changed transportation because of distance learning or remote jobs. Because of this, there is less travel. As time goes on, car sales may drop due to less demand. Also, public transportation won’t be needed as much and may experience a decrease in utilization and services.
High-speed travel
Bullet trains and transport capsules are being developed to change traveling speed. Hyperloop, a proposed high-speed transportation system for both public and goods transport can change transportation worldwide.
High-speed travel will change commute times which may affect real estate markets and home prices along the route. Hyperloop will help transport time-critical, high-priority supplies such as medical supplies and food.
Revolution of MaaS
MaaS, or mobility as a service, is the concept of a personalized and on-demand transportation service. In the future, MaaS apps could offer real-time information on, e.g., crowding levels, and even the frequency of cleaning of public transport, to better estimate travel times and risks related to it.
Rethinking tourism and business trips
Business trips and tourism have suffered globally during quarantine. We are already seeing new habits acquired during the quarantine, such as social distancing, as well as the fears that will remain, which have a lasting impact on the way we travel during vacations. Also, large events, conferences, and concerts may witness smaller visitor numbers. Business travel has decreased, thanks to the remote working possibilities learned during the crisis.
Solar panel roads generating electricity
Solar technologies are developing rapidly, with new concepts and ideas constantly entering the markets. Solar panel roads could potentially boost renewable energy production, power the lights and smart street infrastructure, charge EVs driving on it, and melt ice and snow.
AI and data-driven maritime transport
AI or artificial intelligence can calculate optimized routes and transport velocity by combining weather and sea current data. Ships produced through their smart systems could represent the most significant leap in the shipping business since the introduction of containers.
Road traffic as a software
Software directing the traffic flows can make congestion history by efficient management and can improve safety significantly. The role of AI is vital in forming an adaptive system that can take into account both the needs of humans as well as those of the transported goods.
To conclude, the futuristic transportation in The Jetsons doesn’t seem so outrageous or merely a figment of your imagination. Next time you consider the future of transportation, just think to yourself, “Meet George Jetson...”
