We've arrived in the future! This is really cool, I've seen these cars zipping around while watching the planes landing, but never ridden on one. I think this has to be the future for urban transport - quiet, efficient and comfortable - it's positively utopian!
The thing is, the concept is amazingly low tech. The vehicles are guided by the curbs on either side of the guideways and the batteries are just twelve volt lead acid batteries similar to car batteries except rated for deep discharge cycles. The guideways were supposed to be simpler and less costly than sidewalks with elevated sections simply being supported corrugated steel plates for the wheel tracks but as you can see, they were pressured to make the guideways much more substantial and protected from pedestrians by chain Link fencing even on elevated sections basically increasing what could've been less than two million US a mile to probably something around the cost of roads for automobiles between 10 million and twenty million a mile. Ultimately, the problem is that it's more profitable to build private automobiles which are directly financed by consumers, purchased repeatedly as fashion changes, using roads built by public funds, and where let ability is deferred directly to the consumer then to build something that are efficient and practical such as these PRT's. If you would rather see sensible transportation like these PRT's then you need to write constantly to your political representatives and to your public transit organizations as there's no profit motivation for these projects at least not when compared to alternatives.
I think I actually love these things lol. they would be good as public transport for people like me, I'm a wheelchair user and don't like crowds, specially on things like trams where you sometimes get crowded by people standing around you, or buses (if I can actually get on one) so a pod that would only be used by myself and people I knew, or just me by myself would be wonderful.
With the wide popularity of dedicated bicycle paths, I wish they would just make two seat versions just large enough for a wheelchair and a helper to operate on these "bicycle paths", the speeds are consistent with bicycle travel and sensors can avoid collisions. But just as public transit officials see PRT as an existential threat to their LRT, BRT, and bus funding despite the fact that PRT could be the collectors and distributors for the last mile problem of public transit, I'll bet cycling advocates would also mindlessly oppose PRT's especially if they were to share the guideways. PRT's are the most sensible form of a transportation network but it seems that everyone from public transit to automobile manufacturers are actively against the concept.
I love this. Its just a fast way of going from one place to another. The big difference is you dont have to wait for a bunch of people to get on you can just go on by yourself as a family. And you dont have to keep stopping. You can just go at once. This is really awesome and great!!!
This was a perfect time to record this video besides it looks nicer on a rainy day contrast is alot better and the vehicles colors come out alot more plus the lighting it sorta gives you that calm feeling and also makes it feel alot more adventurous
Hello, thank you kindly for sharing this great engineering FRIENDS!!!! I never knew these POD CARS existed?? Were they around in 2004?? I have never seen or heard of them before. Absolutely marvellous AUTOMATED TECHNOLOGY that gives me hope. I appreciate you connecting!!! I have learned something new!!!!!!!
Incredibly all systems appear automatic. Very sophisticated. Your country is great in technology. Hopefully our country can miss out on developed countries like your country. greetings from Indonesia
There is one in the United States. It is called the PRT in Morgantown West Virginia it stands for the personal rapid transit system it goes through the whole university
I have been on one of these from the terminal to the car park and back. They drive straight down the middle of the road on a one way system and never orertake as there is no room. They go amazingly fast.
These are so adorable! These airport pods are so cute I can't stop laughing! I like these. Us up here in New York City don't have these :( I wish we did. You go to JFK International Airport, you'll get an AirTrain. London, England is definitely on my Winter Wonderland bucket list.
me and my five friends went on holiday and we took one of those to get to terminal five. it was so cool and fun. we got a lot of chatting time and the veiw was awsome
Yes, they are! You can ride the PODs as much as you want (within reason of course - they are supervised by camera, so if you overdo it it's possible you get told off over the intercom)
I'm confused as to how this could be more green than an electric bus. One person sits in a heavy metal box that requires electricity- which is most likely coming from fossil fuels- to move just them, versus a bus that could carry dozens of people for proportionately less energy. Am I missing something?
Plus they’re on-demand. The electric bus will drive on schedule, with or without passengers. Losing energy when nobody is using it while the pods remain put
They are battery operated and very light. They do not have a third rail for power nor a guide rail. They position themselves between the borders of the track. They are mostly autonomous, not centrally controlled. I think their concept was cheap to build and operate, not "green"
I agree!. I think airports are TOO fun for all the reasons that makes airports fun. But I think it makes it especially amazing because they remind us of when we went to some place that we loved and met friends/relatives/that.special.someone etc.. So like even when we go and drop someone off at the airport and we stand inside the airport, we get nostalgic and we wish to soon go back to that place we love so much.,,. :) I Just realized this but I've always thought about it all
Instead for taking a lonely pod train to press the button. Take a skytrain in the Eastern airport of Singapore,Changi Airport. Watch cinema,enjoy in the pool and others!
IMO the most functional and cheap is this standard semi-autonomous podcar guideway system with its disability access & room for luggage , baby prams, strollers esc. four seats, powered by just four cheap deep cycle lead acid car batteries. in the future this podcars may venture off the guideway system under full autonomous control & get better batteries for more range.
Rajiv Krishna if it’s so huge, what is holding them back from having more runways?? Right now, they only have 2, one for landing, one for taking off. Whereas, O’hare in Chicago has 5 that they use most, and are building a 6th. During a busy time last week, I flew out of there, from when we left the gate, it was maybe 5 minutes until our wheels were off the ground.
Hi Thomas, Thanks for your interest in the video, and I'm very sorry about the delay in replying - I was away for a while and did not see your comment. Please go ahead and use the video for your training programme. Sincerely, LondonUpClose
I've never been to Heathrow airport before but i'm going in September. I fly from Newcastle to Heathrow then Heathrow to LAX. I'll be coming from Terminal 3 and need to get to Terminal 5. Do you know how far apart they are? Can you not use these to get to another Terminal? Thanks
+Laura Hutchings These pods go only between the business car park and terminal 5. Just catch a heathrow express train from 3 to 5 and take a round trip on the pods!
i find it interesting the system is designed to drive on the right side of the road, even though it's in England. i wonder if it was designed somewhere else?
