Almost all science fiction movies or books show us futuristic realities where urban environments and cars look strange but bring nothing but benefits, innovation and jaw-dropping technology. Nevertheless, how far from the future are these works of fiction? The distance might ot be as great as you think given that we already have electrical cars and a patent for a flying car has been filed by Toyota.
Here are five smart, original, bizarre, hi-tech and amazing vehicles that can (and will) change the way we travel and live.
1. The Smart Driverless Car
We’ve all heard about driverless cars – a domain in which Tesla, Google and other tech and automotive giants want to reign supreme. Autonomous cars still face challenges in terms of safety/security, customer acceptance, pricing and more yet the driverless car technology is inspiring.
It includes sensors, sonars, stereo cameras, localisation cameras, lasers and radar detection units,as well as gadgets and software able to detect obstacles.
People may be reluctant initially to let a robot to take emergency decisions and control every aspect of the drive, but the companies involved in creating such cars are aiming to vouch for their performances and safety. These cars will detect more than just other cars, bumps in the roads, potholes and parking boundaries, but also pedestrians, road signs and even changes in the environment.
Tesla and Google talk about Level 5 autopilot, car connectivity, vehicle-to-vehicle communication and more. We may not see them any time soon as commonplace vehicles, but they are the next big thing after electrical cars.
2. Electric Go Karts
We have electric cars and electric bicycles, and adult go karts in general are not new. Why should we consider them smart vehicles that might reshape the way we travel and we live? Firstly, electric Go karts make a truly smart hybrid between a car and a bicycle, offering you a comfortable ride without harming the environment.
Electric Go-karts are a popular choice in highly developed and tech-savvy countries such as Japan. These fun, whimsical and efficient vehicles satisfy your mobility needs without having an impact on the environment. Small in size, compact, and easy to manage, electric karts do no occupy plenty of parking space and offer you the chance to get by in traffic safely.
If you live in high-density urban environments, if you spend an hour circling the block for a parking spot or if you need to move fast in traffic without the usual shenanigans, electric carts are the choice for you.
In other words, they are efficient from all points of view – and this is the very definition of being “smart.”
3. The Smart Three-Wheeler
When building new vehicles and bringing smart technologies to the table car manufacturers know they cannot disregard the advantages of the bicycle, which is gaining more and more ground and an increasing popularity all over the world.
However, car makers cannot disregard the benefits of the car, either. Therefore, instead of keeping the conflict alive between the two, some very smart people decided to join them into hybrids.
Companies such as Toyota, Nissan, BMW, and GE already started making smaller, more compact, smarter vehicles. Toyota leads the pioneering quest, however, with its hi-tech i-Road hybrid, bringing the best of both bicycle and car worlds in a small, strange looking, efficient, and affordable three-wheeler.
As you can imagine, the i-Road is an electric vehicle, able to accommodate two people, and carry them safely around. If space is the problem, this motorbike-car hybrid occupies very little space, so parking and safeguarding it will not be a problem.
4 The ROBRADY “Sustainability at Rest” RV Concept
Green RVs may become a reality sooner than we have hoped. Those who love travel trailers and enjoy going on trips know that sustainability was never a key concept when it came to these wheeled homes. However, technology and the environmental movement that has evolved in tandem offer us today lightweight, affordable, fuel-efficient and reliable “green” motorhomes.
The Robrady RV concept stands out from the crowd for its promise of being a fully sustainable luxury RV. An ambitious project to say the least, the Robrady features roof and awning lined with solar panels; an alternative power source consisting of a hydrogen fuel cell; an electrical vehicle charging station for Segways to protect the environment; and lower your carbon footprints when you reach your destination.
Moreover, the charging station also works for Vectrix motorcycles, which is an excellent idea. If you are thirsty during your trip, the sustainable RV also features an AquaVentus potable water system, which uses condensation-capture technology that pulls water out of the air.
While Robrady RVs are still uncommon on the roads, the company is adamant in bringing forth the sustainable model for all families to enjoy. The slim, lean, and green machine may need a few years to become a purchase option, but the future will surely embrace green travel trailers and amazing technologies.
5. The Autonomous Helicopter
You may be surprised to see a helicopter on this list, as we mostly think about cars when we think about vehicles, but we already allow drones to fly and Toyota has filed a patent for a flying car. Until the world looks like a Luc Besson movie, we have autonomous civilian helicopter projects to use in high-density urban environments.
Airbus has successfully completed a test flight of its Vahana electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Moreover, a company called Aurora Flight Sciences presented the world with a fully autonomous military helicopter that we could operate remotely.
These companies intend to use camera sensors and on-board LIDAR technology (found in driverless smart cars as well) to offer these smart helicopters as a futuristic means of transportation.
The helicopters would station on the rooftops of buildings and work like air buses (sic!) in order to help people move around from one place to another by avoiding land deadlock traffic. If all goes well, such companies will showcase their crafts in a few years.
6. Super-Super Trains
Some people in some parts of the world consider super trains as commonplace transportation means. The maglev technology has been present since 1984 in some countries, but now the world needs even speedier trains. After the Japanese maglev train reached a world record breaking 372 miles per hour, the Chinese decided to build the super-super train.
The new Chinese maglev tech could make the new-gen fast trains reach speeds of around 620 miles per hour. We will not have the super-maglev trains any time soon, as many researchers and authorities still work on bringing the “old” maglev tech to more American, Asian, and European cities. On the other hand, bullet speed trains will make commute, travel, communication, transportation, and economy reach new heights.
What are your favourite smart hi-tech vehicles you would like to try or invest in first? Which do you think will become commonplace transportation in the immediate future?
