io9
Future cities will eliminate gridlocked roads by offering personalized tram cars that can whisk us to any destination in the city, on-demand, and with little to no delay. You'll be able to experience this cutting-edge form of urban transport when the ULTra system debuts at Heathrow Airport later this year. Each electric car rides around on a concrete guideway, its movements controlled by a central computer. It could be safer, cleaner and more efficient than any current method of moving people around cities.
In an urban setting, users would visit a terminal (sort of like a bus stop, pictured in a CGI rendering below) and swipe a smart card. Then they'd enter their destination information. The smart card would already have alerted the system to any of the user's special needs. Usually, an empty car would be waiting because the central computer constantly checks where unused cars can be sent to satisfy demand.
The car then travels automatically along a concrete path, which can be seen clearly in the next photo, taking the most direct route to the destination. Other cars are avoided by the computer control system.
ULTra is being produced by Advanced Transport Systems Ltd. Heathrow Airport will use a scaled-down version of the system to carry people from distant parking lots to the main terminal buildings, eliminating shuttle buses. You can also watch a CGI video demo of the system. Photos by: ATS.
Comments
i'm not sure if i should be fearful that systems like this will replace cars or enthusastic that systems like this could replace subways and commuter rail systems.
I don't know whether I should be glad because it is a car alternative with the efficiency of a train, or pissed that it will never, ever, ever, ever be built in my area.
Cool looking design. Does it have an animatronic cab driver though?
I don't know whether I should have a tuna fish sandwich or a turkey sandwich for lunch.
Totally! We need Johnny Cab!
Heathrow can beta test for Mars Colony!
And it's handy that this is controlled by a central computer so that Skynet can more efficiently... oh wait, I'm mixing my sci-fi again.
@Ghede: Ah, but which is really more efficient, a system like this or a train?
@braak: Tuna, that way you get Mercury for free.
The "cabs" in Minority Report were about as cool as it gets. Let me know when the slaveways are open and ready. If it doesn't happen in Tokyo or London first, then it should happen in New York, or that other Land of much gridlock, LA.
Also, I feel like this system will break down pretty quickly when fifteen people show up to the same station, each wanting to go in a different direction.
Last time Heathrow decided to implement a revolutionairy transportation system 50.000 suitcases went missing and the problems are still not over... Model Naomi Cambell even got thrown in jail for expressing her grievance..
A similar people transportation system is in use on the parking lot of Amsterdam Airport. It's been operational for about 10 years. So much for the Transport of the Future claim.
@braak: That's the bane of any transportation system: capacity. It might work well on the small scale, but what happens when you increase traffic tenfold?
Yeah. One of the advantages of a regular light rail system is that, because it's got fewer destination options, it forces people to share a ride. That's actually what makes it more efficient than cars.
@NefariousNewt:
Off to the holding pens?
In the US, I'd rather the money go to getting a more reliable traditional rail system working.
@braak: obviously they should combine the two. using both in tandem would eliminate the 'last mile' problem where the light rail and subway systems are just outside of walking distance from your origin and/or destination. simply integrate this with the light rail and subway systems so that instead of taking you directly where you want to go it takes you to a station where you can board a larger scale form of public transportation. the little electric cars would still have the ability to go anywhere from anywhere because of the blinket of stations that would be required but it would never do so when large scale public transport is a viable alternative.
I thought the Segway was supposed to end all traffic woes?
@tetracycloide: Ah-ha! Now that's a good idea.
Like bartje noted above a similar system (but smaller) has been in operation at Amsterdam airport since 1997. In fact the entire Ultra PRT technology is a direct spinoff form this system. I've been following their developments for the last five years.
[faculty.washington.edu]
I don't see the innovation. This is just a repackaged people mover with an elevator control system. It has the same, UGLY, inflexible cement pathway that a people mover of 100 years ago has.
A real innovation would be to create a real transit system that works via technology (meaning a wire) embedded in the roadway combined with the "bus stop" concept and sophisticated routing controls. This would allow flexible, highly personalized service while optimizing "car pool" opportunities - much like a crowded cab stand in NYC.
I'm sooooo tired of public projects gone bad (like the Heathrow opening) playing the "innovation" PR card for technology that is old and ineficient with new fascia stuck on it...
This is about halfway between "Logan's Run" and "Sleeper." Gee, maybe they got something right in the 70's after all?
Please ... what a joke. Aside from contained environments like an airport, stadium, amusement park or something, it is highly unlikely anything like this will happen any time soon or ever in America. Can you imagine the bureaucratic wrangling over just the right-of-way for laying the path? Oh my god. Where are these paths going to go? Next to roads? Are they going to cross automobile thoroughfares? That'll work. Are bikes going to share? Can anyone see this system being implemented in NYC in this millenium?
ULTra are still trying to peddle this - when will they give up? This was being touted as the "Transport of tomorrow" a decade ago here in Cardiff. In fact - I think that last photo is from their test track in Cardiff docks.
Why does the "monorail" song from the Simpsons enter my head whenever I read about this?
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