Transformer cars for traffic congestion
By: Drivers.com staff
Date: 2008-09-28
There won�t be a silver bullet solution to traffic congestion and soaring energy costs. One solution being proposed looks like it could play a key role - a dual mode car.
The solution is being touted on an anonymous web site, TrafficSolution .eu , which present itself as a "non-commercial web site developed by an innovative engineer with qualifications in civil, mining and bridge engineering."
"Consider the following scenario," says TrafficSolution. "Coming from outside the city, after dropping the kids off at school, you drive your dual-module car to one of the parking facilities outside of the outer city ring road. You stop for a few moments, undock, and continue towards the city in the tiny driver�s module. From here on the vehicle operates on autopilot taking you to your work without any delays. In the meantime a fully automated robotic system stores your passenger module safely in a highly efficient vertical warehouse storage system, and begins charging it with wind generated electricity. When you get to work your driver's module also plugs itself in for recharging."
The key concept is TrafficSolution's proposal is the Dual Module car. consisting of a slim, motorcycle-like driver module which can be uncoupled from the passenger module. This, says the web site, allows the owner to avoid lugging around more passenger space than needed.
Most vehicles are driven with just the driver on board and the Dual Mode car would offer, not just an energy-saving alternative but also a space saving one, since it would free up valuable lane space and allow for more traffic volume.
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