MIT Working On 'Stackable' Cars of the Future
A team headed by William Mitchell, former head of the school of architecture at MIT, has been working for four years on stackable, sharable efficient CARS OF THE FUTURE. The cars will generate zero pollution and will be customizable. Each wheel will essentially be a robot with its own electric motor and suspension. The team plans to present the final design in a few months to General Motors, which will build a prototype.
10:41 AM * PERMALINK * 12 comments
Comments:
This is so cool.
Nice tech blog by the way. :)
Looks great for transporting variable numbers of people - I'd like to see special purpose modules, such as one with a truck bed.
I think the animation "Jimmy Nuetron, Boy Genius" best depicts our future. The "advanced alien civilization" he discovered had devolved into amebic blobs living 24-7 inside their mobility devices, their cars. Perhaps they ran out of room for housing and decided living as blobs inside egg-shaped flying cars was the only solution to traffic congestion. They did become rather nasty sentient beings, celebrating human sacrifice to their God, a giant 3-eyed chicken.
Let's not plan cities as if, uh walking, bicycling and mass transit thingys like you know, might like be totally like cool and like not nerdy or icky, or like maybe build neighborhoods that are something other than 3-car garage with attached house and fenced lawn housing compounds, strip mall over the freeway? huh? huh? Whoooo! Yeah!
You know, something like this might be fine for very, VERY basic transportation, and the train thing would be kinda neat for taxis or buses, but it will never replace ordinary cars, and it certainly won't win any horsepower awards, you can be sure of that. To be honest, this is the most impractical-looking transportation vehicle I've ever seen. You can't haul groceries in it, can't take your kids to ball practice, can't go on vacation...completely useless except as a novelty add-on to a rich somebody's car collection. Hybrids are a little more acceptable, but still impracticle as far as hauling power is concerned (has anybody seen semi trucks running on electricity? I think not). Until a feasible alternative power source is found, I'm sticking with good ol' gasoline, thank you very much.
" Until a feasible alternative power source is found, I'm sticking with good ol' gasoline, thank you very much."
Or until the oil runs out and your SUV's sit and rust in your driveway.
Its short term thinkers like you and your upgefucked (excuse my german) president GWB who are going to leave the world in such a mess for our kids..
This thing gets hit by a semi and there would be nothing left but a greasy spot.
They would look great at Wildwood, NJ.
"Watch the tramcar, please. Watch the tramcar, please."
"(has anybody seen semi trucks running on electricity? I think not)"
North American Diesel Locomotives are essentially hybrid vehicles (they use diesel engines to generate elctricity for electric motors to drive the train). I'm pretty sure those will out-haul any of semi you care to name.
They are already doing this in Rome with their little Smart Cars that closely resemble these in size and shape. The Smart Car doesn't tip up, but the way the Italians park (sideways), they fit them together almost as tightly. Oh, and yes, they drive them on the freeways, which are just as jammed up as ours in So-Cal. Accidents? Didn't see too many which is amazing for the way they drive!
What do you think of the concept of stackable vehicles as an important link from transit stops to work destinations?
I'm disappointed that the car of our future still has wheels.
Anonymous said...
"(has anybody seen semi trucks running on electricity? I think not)"
North American Diesel Locomotives are essentially hybrid vehicles (they use diesel engines to generate elctricity for electric motors to drive the train). I'm pretty sure those will out-haul any of semi you care to name.
good point......
....if you want to pick up your groceries and sundry goods from your local rail line. and hopefully your kid's school is on a rail line as well, and your bank, and your job, etc. etc.
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