Future Transportation Technologies

Just when you thought your commute was getting too routine. Over the next decade, the idea of getting to work on time, heading out to the countryside for your family vacation or even going to the game will become much easier. Cars will drive themselves along pre-determined routes. Trains will use new magnetic rail systems. And an amazing new “hyperloop” train will speed along at 800 miles per hour.

1. Hyperloop

One of the most exciting innovations in transportation has to be the Hyperloop train. Rising on nearly airless tubes at 800 mph, the train will transport you from LA to San Francisco in just 30 minutes. Elon Musk announced a design scheme back in August, but it has been learnt that the concept is more than a pipe dream -- it is now a real technology in development. “On paper, hyperloop is both cheaper and quieter, and it is potentially much faster than a maglev train,” said Rob Enderle, an analyst with Enderle Group who studies Silicon Valley technology.

2. Maglev Trains

“Magnetic levitation” trains are not just a lofty dream held over from the ’50s. They are already in operation in Shanghai and Japan. South Korea is building a maglev train that will operate within the Incheon Airport, and China reportedly has a second maglev train in development.

3. Autonomous Vehicles

A robotic driver can think faster and smarter than a human driver and look in all directions at once. That’s the idea behind autonomous driving, where you take your hands off the wheel and let the car do the driving for you. Ford has already announced a project called Traffic Jam Assist and Cadillac is working on something called Super Cruise that lets the car take over.

4. Smart Cars

One way to solve transportation problems in major cities is to make the cars much smaller and smarter. So-called “smart cars” have been around for many years. But there are signs of progress. Many automakers, including BMW and Nissan already offer compact electric cars. The BMW i3, already available in Europe, can brake automatically when you take your foot off the accelerator, consumes no gasoline and operates for 80-100 miles per charge.

5. Urban Transport Pods

What if you could jump into a moving pod and speed away to another part of the city? That is what the Milton Keynes neighbourhood about 45 miles northwest of London is planning. The pods seat one person and move on their own over a pre-described route.