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The future will always intrigue people because no matter how good you are at analyzing the past you will never be able to predict all the “unknowns.” And especially in the transport and logistics business, the possibilities to dream about the future are limitless.
Will we all go to work in flying cars one day? Will a drone be able to carry my pizza straight from Italy to my home? Will trains travel faster than the speed of light? In fact, transportation technology is not changing as rapidly as you can swipe a potential date left in an app. In infrastructure-based industries like logistics and transportation, changes come much slower – so you actually CAN prepare for the future. This is what transportation experts from international logistics group AsstrA-Associated Traffic AG are doing: they are looking forward to working with a range of vehicles that extends far beyond the usual trucks, trains, ships and planes. Here are the brightest examples of futuristic transport vehicles that we can already see today.
Flying cars not only in science fiction
Creators of a prototype flying car called AeroMobil suggest that flying cars could relieve pressure on traditional transport networks and ease road traffic with this new mode of transport. The car has been under development for the past 15 years and has been tested both on roads and in flight. The flying car was able to reach a speed of 130 km/h and to land successfully.
Moving goods – and people – by drone
The possibility of a drone air taxi has been tested in Dubai. The flying vehicle managed to take a person on a five-minute flight. While it will be some time before drone taxis are commonplace, we will be able to see drones delivering goods all around cities in the near future thanks to many other companies working hard to develop these solutions now.
Forget how to drive
Compared to the idea of a flying car, the concept of a driverless vehicle is less surprising – and more frequently encountered in day-to-day life all around the modern world.
“By 2020 it is expected that 10 million self-driving cars and trucks will be hitting the road. Tesla, Mercedes, and BMW are already selling self-driving cars, so it’s only a matter of time before driving licenses will no longer be necessary,” observes Vitali Eremenco, Road Freight Transportation Department Deputy COO.
Daimler Trucks, Einride, and Uber have even launched a self-driving truck fully equipped to drive on American roadways, avoid physical and legal problems, and of course deliver cargo safely. Moreover, remote-controlled ships are also under development – they will transport goods without a need for humans on board.
Travel by a different type of tube
Elon Musk’s idea of a Hyperloop system does not seem as much like a fantasy anymore. Various countries and investors around the world are keen on building the infrastructure of pipe-like machines which can carry objects faster than in airplanes. The innovator behind SpaceX suggested that the Hyperloop vehicle could reach speeds of over 700 mph. People and cargo in the 1.35m-wide tube could be blasted more than 600 km in 30 minutes.
No need to stop for refueling
A rail that’s embedded in a road to charge up cars while they drive on it already exists. Not somewhere in outer space – in Norway. The electrified road is capable of powering both cars and cargo trucks. This innovation will definitely spread across the globe because it solves many environmental problems.
Forget about gas stations
By 2027, electric cars probably will no longer be considered a “status thing.” They along with their charging infrastructure will be part of our daily life.
“With growing concern about environmental protection issues, the rise of sustainable cities will boost the popularity of electric cars. When supply increases to meet demand and competition drives down prices, electric cars will become the best option for the vast majority of society to use on a daily basis,” adds Vitali Eremenco.
