In this workshop we were paired up and were given a couple of topics to choose one from. I and my partner chose one that was about the future of public transportation. We were supposed to dream up a scenario and then during one minute pitch it to the teachers and the rest of the class. I really liked our idea so I thought I ought to spin it a bit further here.
So on to our idea, it was basically to combine the taxi service with the public transportation service (in this case mainly busses). Our idea would work of off existing infrastructure and require minimal modification to the existing structures. It would use technology that already exists (or are in late-stage development).
The key element is small driverless cars. These cars would fit up to 5 persons (a whole family) and would thusly be somewhat private and could replace an own car. The system itself would utilize the existing bus-stops as destinations and only travel between them. At every bus-stop there would be a button to call upon one of these cars and then you can choose your end-destination (another bus-stop) and it will travel straight there.
The way the cars would be able to drive themselves works of the principle of sensors in the car that senses a metal strip or metal spikes imbedded in the asphalt and via that an onboard computer knows where it is. Then there would have to be other sensors that would make the car stop in case there is something in front of it. There has been a lot of research into these kinds of cars by the big manufacturers and some prototypes have been tested. Even toy manufactures like the idea, as an example can be given this LEGO car (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM-YwHk9mPI), so if toys can do it then why not real cars?
As we kept digging deeper we came to the conclusion that this would work best in the inner-city and that there could be a small parking lot at each bus-station with enough space for 2-3 cars so that there would always be a free car. Then we would have a central garage from where a car is sent out whenever a spot at any bus-stop becomes free. With enough cars the net could be widened to cover the entire country.
The system itself would be controlled via a central computer and thusly easily configured as a “normal” bus-system if needed, so that for example during the day there would always be several cars arriving at the same time so there would be same amount of spaces as in a bus. They would then travel a certain route and pretty much act the same way as the buses today. Then during the evening they would only drive when needed. The beauty of this system is the ease with which it can be modified from a bus-style system to a taxi-like system. Any type of in-between usage can also be done, like if you call upon the car and another car with empty spaces is nearby it could pick you up on its way to another destination, much like car-pooling. All that is needed to change the principle they work on is a few key-strokes on a computer.
This system would only work if it is adapted with full force. If only a few cars are used on a test basis then the “availability” would not be a part of the test and without that the system will most likely fail. But if the system would be adapted then there is nothing but money that stands in the way of widening the net and by doing that replacing also the trains and in time probably all other cars in the whole country. It would be one single entity that would handle all the public transport in the country except for the air traffic. A beautiful thought, and already implementable. Just a matter of money, as always.
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