Buzz
Planes, trains, and automobiles once defined our way of travel, but they are now becoming outdated. The transportation of tomorrow will likely involve technologies like magnetic levitation, personal jetpacks, and compact zip lines that fit in your backpack—all of which could arrive sooner than expected.
10. Hyperloop
Imagine a visionary billionaire who designs groundbreaking electric cars, creates a company to supply the International Space Station, and develops a highly successful alternative financial system. It may sound like the plot of a summer blockbuster, but it’s reality. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and PayPal, is now revolutionizing public transportation. His latest project is Hyperloop, an ultra-fast transport system that promises to take you from San Francisco to Los Angeles in just 35 minutes. The Hyperloop is envisioned as an elevated steel tube with aluminum capsules traveling at speeds exceeding 1,200 kilometers per hour (760 mph), transporting both people and vehicles, all powered by solar energy.
The biggest hurdle? The cost. Musk estimates that getting the Hyperloop off the ground would require $70 billion just for initial development. The total cost could soar to an astonishing $100 billion. However, the Hyperloop has faced its share of detractors. Critics argue that the system is prohibitively expensive, impractical, and even too slow.
Despite the challenges, the project is moving forward. A company called Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Inc. has published a projected timeline, with the completion of a Hyperloop prototype expected in the first quarter of 2015. Whether this ambitious plan will come to fruition remains to be seen, but who knows? The future may arrive sooner than anticipated.
9. Nuclear-Powered Vehicles
Although nuclear energy tends to scare people these days, it could play a significant role in the future of transportation. One American company is boldly diving into the world of radioactive-powered vehicles. For years, Laser Power Systems (LPS) has been advocating the benefits of thorium, a radioactive element that powers the Earth's core and may just hold the key to next-generation energy solutions.
While countries are focused on researching thorium for nuclear power plants, LPS has a more immediate objective: to develop a car engine powered by a small chunk of this radioactive element. The engine would harness the heat emitted by thorium to convert water into steam, which would then drive microturbines to generate electricity. Thorium’s incredible density means it stores vast amounts of energy—just an eight-gram piece could fuel a car for over 100 years. In other words, you’d never need to buy gas again. That’s a future we can all look forward to.
8. Supercavitation
In the field of marine engineering, no concept is advancing more rapidly than supercavitation. This phenomenon occurs when a layer of gas bubbles forms around an object moving through a liquid (picture the hull of a boat surrounded by bubbles). The gas drastically reduces friction—by up to 900 times less than usual—allowing the object to travel through the water much faster than conventional methods.
It’s clear that a supercavitating boat would be an invaluable addition to any naval fleet. With its incredible speed and low fuel consumption, its sleek design would make it nearly invisible to sonar detection. It might even be fast enough to outrun torpedoes. Juliet Marine Systems, a private firm based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is working on just such a boat. Known as the GHOST, its primary purpose is defense—protecting naval ships and defending against pirate attacks on commercial vessels. It could also serve as an effective troop transport to enemy shores.
7. The Martin Jetpack
Named one of TIME magazine’s Top 50 Inventions of 2010, the Martin Jetpack has been hailed as 'the world’s first practical jetpack.' The iconic space-age device is now a reality, no longer confined to science fiction. Glenn Martin, a visionary from New Zealand, has spent over 30 years perfecting his jetpack design, and it’s finally nearing commercial availability.
The Martin Jetpack is powered by ducted fans, allowing it to stay airborne for up to 30 minutes. With a top speed of just under 74 kilometers per hour (46 mph) and the ability to reach altitudes of up to 900 meters (3,000 feet), it’s not hard to imagine gliding nearly a kilometer above the ground with just the pack on your back. This technology will first be available to first responders like firefighters and emergency teams, but don’t worry—by mid-2014, it will be available for personal use, assuming you have a cool $200,000 to spare.
6. Velo-City
It would be great to ride your bike to work every day, but let’s be honest—it requires a lot of effort. Soon, however, that could change. In 2006, Toronto announced plans for a 'high-speed, all-season, pollution-free, ultra-quiet transit system that promotes better health.' In short, a supercharged bike lane. Designed by architect Chris Hardwicke, the concept is an elevated, three-lane bike tube. The lanes would be divided by direction, with airflow creating a tailwind, boosting riders' efficiency by up to 90%. Cyclists could reach speeds of 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph). Dubbed Velo-city, the system would be ideal for cold climates as it would shelter bikers from the elements.
Despite initial excitement over the concept, the Velo-city project was eventually put on hold due to lack of funding. While the project may be dormant for now, it hasn’t been forgotten. Who knows, we might soon see bicycles zipping through elevated tubes above our heads.
5. Next
We’ve all heard of Google’s self-driving car, but have you heard of Next? It’s part taxi, part Segway, and part origami-like construction, all with an emphasis on social interaction. Next is a concept that must be seen to be truly understood. Designer Tommaso Gecchelin envisions a world where you summon Next using your smartphone, and a self-driving module arrives to pick you up. You slide into the customizable seat, and the doors close behind you. The module glides along on four wheels, eventually joining a group of other modules.
Then the magic happens: While you stay seated upright, the module shifts onto two wheels to connect with the others. A panel opens, and suddenly it feels like you’re sitting in a bus or a train. Modules can easily split apart or join together. As you near your destination, your module detaches and drops you off seamlessly.
It’s an incredible concept. Unfortunately, we’re still a long way from making Next a reality. Gecchelin’s design plans outline the technologies that need to be developed or refined before Next can be built. These include affordable nanomaterials, a consumer-grade self-driving car, high-capacity batteries, and inexpensive, powerful solar panels. All things considered, Gecchelin predicts we won’t see Next in action until at least 2025.
4. Kolelinio
Believe it or not, the idea of commuting via zip-line could soon be a reality with Kolelinio, a concept presented by Martin Angelov at the TEDx conference in Thessaloniki in 2010. Angelov imagines a network of cables crisscrossing the sky, enabling people to zip from one destination to another. He points out that we currently drive vehicles that can be up to 20 times heavier than our own bodies, and building roads is expensive.
His concept would eliminate the need for traditional roads while promoting a more eco-friendly transportation system. Travelers using Kolelinio would secure themselves in a battery-powered seat suspended from a taut steel wire, gliding along at low heights in pedestrian areas and rising higher in more congested zones.
However, there are some drawbacks to consider. Kolelinio offers no protection from inclement weather, it’s not suitable for those with a fear of heights, and safety concerns remain unanswered. Despite these issues, it’s a bold, innovative concept, and we can only hope someone brings it to life soon.
3. SkyTran
Tel Aviv, Israel, located in the heart of the Fertile Crescent, is a city that perfectly blends the old and new. Despite its ancient roots, Tel Aviv is a bustling, 24-hour metropolis—and it has a major traffic problem. That’s why the city is working on a futuristic aerial public transportation system called SkyTran. Designed to float on metal tracks six meters (20 feet) above the ground, the pod-like vehicles will hang below the tracks, gliding almost friction-free thanks to magnetic levitation (maglev) technology.
Passengers will be able to use a smartphone app to summon a car to the nearest station (imagine a staircase leading up to a simple platform). The cars will operate independently, taking passengers as far as the tracks will allow. According to SkyTran’s CEO, Jerry Sanders, a ride on SkyTran will cost slightly more than a bus fare, but still less than a comparable taxi ride. Plus, once solar panels are added, the SkyTran system will become energy neutral.
SkyTran will have a maximum speed of 241 kilometers per hour (150 mph), although it will initially run at slower speeds as riders become accustomed to the system.
It sounds like something straight out of a 1950s comic book, and to be honest, the aerodynamic design of the car resembles that too. But perhaps we’ll all take a page from Tel Aviv’s playbook and start soaring through the skies like the Jetsons. After all, the future is here.
2. SCARAB
Introducing Harley Davidson’s time-traveling nephew. This futuristic vehicle boasts a sleek, streamlined design and resembles a motorcycle, but with a twist: it’s enclosed, spacious enough for luggage, and runs on batteries, biofuel, or a fuel cell. While it can be driven manually, it also has self-driving capabilities on designated routes. Oh, and it's perfect for city life: it operates on four wheels but can tilt up onto two for convenient parking. To top it off, it’s collapsible.
Designer David Miguel Moreira Goncalves envisioned the urban environment when he created his design. He stated in his original report, "the aim of this project was to develop guidelines and a holistic solution for a new system of urban transport, composed of vehicle and infrastructure, in a sustainable way and adaptable to various urban environments." In other words, recognizing that people often prefer personal vehicles to public transport, he set out to create an easy, environmentally friendly, and customizable solution.
Although no SCARABs have been built yet, we remain optimistic that in the near future, we’ll be able to hop into one of these sleek, eco-conscious vehicles for a stylish, green ride.
1. Skylon
The Skylon is being hailed as the next generation of supersonic flight, set to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Concorde, which soared faster than the speed of sound before being retired nearly a decade ago. In 2013, the United Kingdom revealed plans to invest over $90 million into the Skylon project, a plane that could reach five times the speed of sound and even escape Earth’s atmosphere to travel in space. It would be capable of taking off from any runway across the globe, making the journey from London to Sydney in just four hours. Alternatively, it could be used to deliver up to 15,000 kilograms (33,000 lb) of cargo into space, such as supplies for the International Space Station.
Though development has only just begun, significant hurdles lie ahead. John Hansman, head of MIT’s International Center for Air Transportation, points out, “It looks great from a science fiction standpoint, but it’s really, really tough to do.” Moreover, the initial $90 million estimate is just the starting point—the final price tag could exceed one billion dollars.
Nevertheless, many scientists and science journalists remain hopeful about the project’s success. If everything proceeds smoothly, a prototype could be ready by 2017, with the operational version arriving a couple of years after that. Beyond that? “Access to space, access to anywhere in the world within four hours is on the cards,” says Alan Bond, founder of Reaction Engines, the company behind the Skylon’s revolutionary propulsion system.
