Recent Articles

Future of the car

The future of the car is a controversial topic, with some advocates arguing that the car has no future, and others that the car will in the future supplant most other forms of transport.

There are significant challenges in the near future to continued use of the car:

• Car use is a significant factor in pollution, and contributes to global warming.
• Increasing population and prosperity are increasing traffic congestion.
• Reserves of fossil fuels, particularly oil, are finite.
• Cars are one of the most dangerous form of transport. 1 million people die each year in car accidents worldwide.

Technological Advances

There are many possible advances in technology that could influence the future of the car:

• The smart car and driverless car making driving easier and safer.
• Cars linking up to form platoons.
• Cars platooning on guideways on a Personal rapid transit system, such as ULTra, for increased speed, safety and economy.
• Dual-mode cars able to use relatively small electric motors and fuel supplies or battery reserves for door-to-door service off electrically powered arterials.
• Cars may be able to use low carbon fuels such as hydrogen, fuel cells, and electricity instead of the internal combustion engine. (see hydrogen car, electric vehicle).
• Magnetic levitation or maglev guideways with off-line stations for on-demand, independent travel is an attractive but distant goal.
• The flying car, such as the Moller Skycar.
• Human transporters, such as the Segway, lowering the importance of the car for short-distance transportation.