Created: 17 September 2007 | Watched by: 6 people | Comments: 0 comments

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  Welcome to the transport of tomorrow | Technology | The Guardian 

  http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/oct/11/guardianweeklytechnologysection.news1

  When Heathrow Terminal 5 opens next year, a network of up to 18 driverless pods will ferry people between the main terminal and its car parks, where each pod will be controlled by an internal computer ... and onboard sensor systems. Welcome to the pioneering world of personal rapid transport (PRT) - a feasible technological solution to the chronic problem of traffic congestion, offering public transport with the privacy of a car. Basically, a driverless four-seater vehicle (call it a podcar if you like) that automatically runs on a guideway over a dedicated network, lighter than light rail and running on a fraction of its energy, PRT has been the ambition of a select group of engineers since the late 1950s. But only now are the first networks being constructed. Heathrow's network is admittedly modest: just 3.5km (2.2 miles) of guideway will connect car park and terminal. But it is the first public test of its kind. BAA has indicated that if the pilot is successful, it will extend PRT throu   [More...] [Less...]

  First added: 11 October 2007, by: Kate Porter  [Report as spam]

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  Tags:  personal rapid transit, personal rapid transport, prt, rapid transit, transport