On Thu, Sep 23, 2004 at 03:21:01PM -0700, James Newtons Massmind wrote:
> Http://www.massmind.org/techref/idea/sanecar.htm 

Interesting idea. It still seems to require an actual driver. Also it doesn't
address flow. All the cars of a bullet train can go 200 MPH because they are
all connected together on a track.

James, I think you had the right idea the first time. Trains are inherently
safer than cars. So if an efficient system for linking up car segments
into adhoc trains that ran on tracks could be devised, it should be possible
to both speed up the overall flow and to automate it too.

As another poster pointed out, I'd happily pay for the ability to get other
stuff done instead of driving just as long as I could get to where I needed
to be in a time efficient manner. and let's not even get started with the
fuel efficiency.

Most subway systems are nearly fully automated. Airplanes have had true
autopilots for decades. I just can't figure out why there hasn't been any
significant application of these types of technologies to the transportation
task that gets performed far more often than the others.

I live in the Atlanta area. Both mine and my wife's family are in New Orleans.
We take the (now long and painful) drive between the two cities at least 4
times a year. Invariably I get to thinking about why it is that I have to
sit in the chair and direct the vehicle upon what is really a very well
defined space. I just can't see how the human that gets sleepy and tired can
be a better driver than an autopilot engineered for the task. I can't see
why it's better to drive 70 or 75, when an automated system of linked
vehicles could easily average over 100 MPH on the same terrain. BTW I know
that for a fact because in my younger days with a faster car I made the 470
mile trip in 5.5 hours flat!

I think that personalized, automated, mass trasit is going to be the touchstone
for the 21st century.

BAJ
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu 
> > [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of Byron A Jeff
> > Sent: 2004 Sep 23, Thu 10:21
> > To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
> > Subject: Re: [OT] rules, was Yes, I canned Olin again. Focus 
> > on the REALproblems
> > 
> > On Thu, Sep 23, 2004 at 08:16:06AM -0700, James Newtons 
> > Massmind wrote:
> > > The automobile, under human control at all times, without 
> > any guiding 
> > > force (like a train's rail) is inherently unsafe IMHO.
> > 
> > Excellent point. The fact of the matter is that I'd happily 
> > give up driving if the substitute could meet the needs that 
> > driving affords: 1) unscheduled travel to 2) multiple 
> > destinations in a 3) timely fashion with 4) Personal space 
> > (stuff, music, choice of co passengers and the like). Mass 
> > transit generally fails all these criteria big time. The 
> > nearest bus stop to my house is 4 miles away and even if I 
> > caught the bus, getting to and from work would be a 2.5 hour 
> > affair each way involving 3 buses, a train, and two different 
> > transit systems. And BTW every day I take a midday break to 
> > pick up kids from school as the thought of having a 6YO in 
> > the house alone is a very very scary thought.
> > 
> 
> 
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