Podcars: Using networking ideas to transport people.

Google Tech Talks
November 20, 2008

ABSTRACT

Podcars are car sized vehicles on guideways elevated over streets. Podcar systems have network topology where each pod is routed the fastest way from origin to destination. High capacity is achieved through short inter-vehicle distances. The direct travel to any destination results in high mean travel speeds, rivaled only by a car in uncongested streets. Podcars use electricity directly off the grid and are very energy efficient. The talk will give a broad description of the technology and the market situation and present a sample network for the Googleplex.

Speaker: Bengt Gustafsson
Bengt Gustafsson, CEO of Beamways, a Swedish startup developing a Podcar system. Bengt's background is in the software industry where he has developed novel user interface generators, language interpreters and database engines.

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[Taylaron1]

I like the pod transportation concept, but his terminology and facts are unsupported and many are inaccurate... -Also sounds like a moron.

[SailorBarsoom]

@Bozewani

A combination of algae and vertical farming solves all of the problems with renewable bio-fuels he listed except one: traffic congestion. Even if you had cars that ran off of wishes and dreams, you'd still have traffic congestion.

[SailorBarsoom]

@ocbuddha

Either the bulk of the scientific community is engaged in a global conspiracy lasting decades, or you're wrong about global warming.

Then why are we drilling in more and more difficult areas? Of course, I suppose it could all be a plot, but I'll believe the people whose job it is to know such things.

There's a little movie you need to see called "Apollo 13." Notice what is wrong with the air when they're trying to adapt the scrubbers.

Finally, traffic congestion is real.

[Bozewani]

so "Renewable rsources" such as ethanol, lithium are not renewable

[OfferoC]

If we can get rid of cars and buses, it's a win. The magrail one is interesting. You would need speed to go between cities.

[podcarnews]

I think the idea is fantastic with a lot of potential. The presentation needs work but his points are valid.

[ocbuddha]

Global warming is a myth.

Peak oil is a myth.

Carbon dioxide isn't poison.

[skidz4500]

Cool idea but, will this guy actually be able to get this thing off the ground. He might be best off starting at toastmasters. He might be smart but can't present to save his life.

[benkegustafsson]

Compared to trolleys PRT is very cheap, about 1/4 the cost. Compared to roads it is about the same. On the other hand we have roads, so if we didn't care about the environment we could just add lanes to cope with more traffic. AS I pointed out though, there is seldom land available for more lanes nowadays.

What I'm trying to say is that there are no cheap ways of extending transportation capacity or replacing cars. Changing to batteries may work in the long run but leaves the other problems!

[mrg98133]

Watch the video-- 41:45 ...