Written by: Redyam
One thing that politicians realised early on was that the current system of transport for the country was a mess, and needed dramatic change.
The rapid advancement of computers and Artificial Intelligence over the last few decades meant that a new form of computer controlled transport could be developed and would be far more efficient than the human controlled cars of the late 20th century.
The original concept of owning your own car had all but been disappeared, instead having been replaced with an A.I. controlled 'taxi' service for every individual.
One would arrange for a taxi via an internet-like control centre installed in every house and within a few minutes a pod would be available. Then the user inputs a destination into the transport pod, and they would be whisked away automatically.
Instead of using the old over-ground network of roads and motorways, the pods would instead move about underground using a network of tunnels. Using recent advancements in electricity and magnetism, the pod would be able to glide through the tunnels effortlessly, quickly and efficiently, only rising above the ground once the destination is reached.
The computer controlled A.I. of the system would ensure that any problems would immediately be dealt with, giving a smooth ride.
Even though the expense of the system was tremendous, the benefit of virtually eliminating noise or air pollution, road accidents and congestion was great.
The system also gave a shot in the arm to Britain's economy, rapidly accelerating the country's GDP which has come to a standstill in recent years due to congestion.
All the existing roads over the ground were turned into grassy areas and cycle lanes, and the damage caused to the earth’s ozone layer was dramatically reduced.
Showing posts with label Future Car. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Future Car. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Honda's vision of the future -- a car powered by hydrogen
Michael Taylor,
The future of driving, if Honda has anything to say about it, came to a Monterey County race track Tuesday in the form of a dark red sedan that is slated to be the first fuel cell car on the planet to come off a production line.
The Honda FCX looks like a slightly futuristic version of a blend of cars, especially those made by Honda Motor Co. But by one particular yardstick, the car is special -- it doesn't run on fossil fuel. Instead, a fuel cell car uses hydrogen.
"This is the first purpose-built fuel cell vehicle to be put on the road in the hands of retail customers," said Stephen Ellis, fuel cell marketing manager for American Honda Motor Co. "It's not a car that is remade from some other platform."
Fuel cell cars have been made by several of the world's biggest carmakers, but by and large they were cobbled together from an existing gas- or electric-powered vehicle. Honda itself earlier made a homely looking fuel cell car, one of which has been in use by a Los Angeles family for more than a year.
Honda says that within two years it plans to produce and lease to the public an untold number of cars based on the concept car the company put on display Tuesday. Tentative plans call for leasing the car for perhaps $600 or $700 a month. Automakers typically lease experimental cars to the public rather than sell them outright as a way of retaining control of them.
On Tuesday, Honda rented Laguna Seca Raceway to show off the only two FCX cars the company says exist in the world. Reporters were allowed to take the cars -- each is worth as much as $2 million, according to industry insiders -- around a portion of the race track, past signs encouraging "acceleration," "braking" and other exhortations.
The car performed like any moderately sporty sedan. It is quiet, it has a low center of gravity, and it's relatively fast.
What makes the car unlike any other sedan is its fuel cell stack, a sandwich of plates that generate electricity through an electro-chemical process using a combination of hydrogen and oxygen. The front wheels are driven by an electric motor. The only emission is water vapor.
The hydrogen can be refined from a number of sources, including coal, natural gas and methane.
Being a concept car, the FCX at the race track was far from the finished product. Every time a driver mentioned a possible problem, the reply was that it's a concept car and the problem will be fixed when it's in regular production.
A fuel cell car in regular production? Honda knows it faces enormous barriers as it tries to introduce a completely new way to propel a car.
The biggest problem is where to fuel it. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's long-touted "hydrogen highway" is behind schedule, said Honda's FCX product planner, Christine Ra.
Still, a few stations accommodate fuel cell cars, and more are planned, said Catherine Dun- woody, executive director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, a group of companies that promotes the technology.
"There are 23 in California, mostly in Southern California," Dunwoody said Tuesday, "and 14 more are on the way. Most fuel cell cars fuel at one or two stations, and we need to move to the point where any car can find a station."
UC Davis environmental science Professor Joan Ogden, who specializes in fuel cells, said a study she has seen says that in the next 10 years, there will be a "roll-out of hydrogen cars and stations" in California.
Others think it will take longer.
"Fuel cell cars have real promise to do double duty -- help the climate and end our oil addiction," said David Friedman, research director for vehicle programs at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington, D.C. "But that future is 20 to 30 years away. All the car companies are working really hard to make fuel cell vehicles a reality, and they deserve praise. Yet there are real hurdles to overcome."
Friedman cited problems of making a fuel cell system start in minus-40 degree weather and making the systems as durable as possible.
"We have to get a fuel cell vehicle that is durable and cheap enough," Friedman said, "and make sure the hydrogen is clean enough. No one will cheer if, at the end of the day, we make all our hydrogen from coal and melt the planet."
As for the economics, Honda Vice President Ben Knight said a fuel cell car can get the equivalent of a gasoline-powered car's 65 miles per gallon. An FCX filled with 8.8 pounds of hydrogen can go about 270 miles, he said.
One unknown is how much a hydrogen retailer -- probably one of the big oil companies -- would charge for hydrogen. Honda also is developing a home refueling station that draws natural gas from a home's utility supply and processes it for hydrogen use.
Then there is the real-world question of what a fuel cell car is like when you have one, day in and day out. Jon Spallino knows.
In June 2005, American Honda began leasing a 2005 Honda FCX to Spallino, a 41-year-old Redondo Beach businessman with a wife and two daughters. The Spallinos became what apparently is the only American family to use a fuel cell car every day, for such things, Spallino says, as "going to the shopping center, to the soccer field and to ballet lessons."
Asked what stood out, Spallino said, "the lack of trouble. I expected technical problems. All that happened was one flat tire."
He said he fills up the car about once a week at Honda's U.S. headquarters in Torrance, and otherwise it behaves like a normal car. Except that he does get a lot of attention, given that "Honda Fuel Cell Powered FCX" is written in giant letters on the side of the car.
"I finally ended up carrying a stack of brochures explaining the car," Spallino said. "All of that was part of the fun."
Fuel cells: electric power from hydrogen fuel
Fuel cells create electricity through an electrochemical process that combines hydrogen and oxygen. Vehicles running on fuel cells would need to be supplied with gaseous hydrogen extracted from a hydrocarbon fuel, such as coal, natural gas, or methane. Honda is developing a home refueling station that draws gas from the home's utility supply and processes it for hydrogen use.
How fuel cells work
Hydrogen fuel is fed into the anode of the fuel cell. Helped by a catalyst, hydrogen atoms are split into electrons and protons.
Electrons are channeled through a circuit to produce electricity.
Protons pass through the proton exchange membrane.
Oxygen enters the cathode and combines with the electrons and protons to form water.
Water vapor and heat are released as byproducts of the reaction.
The future of driving, if Honda has anything to say about it, came to a Monterey County race track Tuesday in the form of a dark red sedan that is slated to be the first fuel cell car on the planet to come off a production line.
The Honda FCX looks like a slightly futuristic version of a blend of cars, especially those made by Honda Motor Co. But by one particular yardstick, the car is special -- it doesn't run on fossil fuel. Instead, a fuel cell car uses hydrogen.
"This is the first purpose-built fuel cell vehicle to be put on the road in the hands of retail customers," said Stephen Ellis, fuel cell marketing manager for American Honda Motor Co. "It's not a car that is remade from some other platform."
Fuel cell cars have been made by several of the world's biggest carmakers, but by and large they were cobbled together from an existing gas- or electric-powered vehicle. Honda itself earlier made a homely looking fuel cell car, one of which has been in use by a Los Angeles family for more than a year.
Honda says that within two years it plans to produce and lease to the public an untold number of cars based on the concept car the company put on display Tuesday. Tentative plans call for leasing the car for perhaps $600 or $700 a month. Automakers typically lease experimental cars to the public rather than sell them outright as a way of retaining control of them.
On Tuesday, Honda rented Laguna Seca Raceway to show off the only two FCX cars the company says exist in the world. Reporters were allowed to take the cars -- each is worth as much as $2 million, according to industry insiders -- around a portion of the race track, past signs encouraging "acceleration," "braking" and other exhortations.
The car performed like any moderately sporty sedan. It is quiet, it has a low center of gravity, and it's relatively fast.
What makes the car unlike any other sedan is its fuel cell stack, a sandwich of plates that generate electricity through an electro-chemical process using a combination of hydrogen and oxygen. The front wheels are driven by an electric motor. The only emission is water vapor.
The hydrogen can be refined from a number of sources, including coal, natural gas and methane.
Being a concept car, the FCX at the race track was far from the finished product. Every time a driver mentioned a possible problem, the reply was that it's a concept car and the problem will be fixed when it's in regular production.
A fuel cell car in regular production? Honda knows it faces enormous barriers as it tries to introduce a completely new way to propel a car.
The biggest problem is where to fuel it. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's long-touted "hydrogen highway" is behind schedule, said Honda's FCX product planner, Christine Ra.
Still, a few stations accommodate fuel cell cars, and more are planned, said Catherine Dun- woody, executive director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, a group of companies that promotes the technology.
"There are 23 in California, mostly in Southern California," Dunwoody said Tuesday, "and 14 more are on the way. Most fuel cell cars fuel at one or two stations, and we need to move to the point where any car can find a station."
UC Davis environmental science Professor Joan Ogden, who specializes in fuel cells, said a study she has seen says that in the next 10 years, there will be a "roll-out of hydrogen cars and stations" in California.
Others think it will take longer.
"Fuel cell cars have real promise to do double duty -- help the climate and end our oil addiction," said David Friedman, research director for vehicle programs at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington, D.C. "But that future is 20 to 30 years away. All the car companies are working really hard to make fuel cell vehicles a reality, and they deserve praise. Yet there are real hurdles to overcome."
Friedman cited problems of making a fuel cell system start in minus-40 degree weather and making the systems as durable as possible.
"We have to get a fuel cell vehicle that is durable and cheap enough," Friedman said, "and make sure the hydrogen is clean enough. No one will cheer if, at the end of the day, we make all our hydrogen from coal and melt the planet."
As for the economics, Honda Vice President Ben Knight said a fuel cell car can get the equivalent of a gasoline-powered car's 65 miles per gallon. An FCX filled with 8.8 pounds of hydrogen can go about 270 miles, he said.
One unknown is how much a hydrogen retailer -- probably one of the big oil companies -- would charge for hydrogen. Honda also is developing a home refueling station that draws natural gas from a home's utility supply and processes it for hydrogen use.
Then there is the real-world question of what a fuel cell car is like when you have one, day in and day out. Jon Spallino knows.
In June 2005, American Honda began leasing a 2005 Honda FCX to Spallino, a 41-year-old Redondo Beach businessman with a wife and two daughters. The Spallinos became what apparently is the only American family to use a fuel cell car every day, for such things, Spallino says, as "going to the shopping center, to the soccer field and to ballet lessons."
Asked what stood out, Spallino said, "the lack of trouble. I expected technical problems. All that happened was one flat tire."
He said he fills up the car about once a week at Honda's U.S. headquarters in Torrance, and otherwise it behaves like a normal car. Except that he does get a lot of attention, given that "Honda Fuel Cell Powered FCX" is written in giant letters on the side of the car.
"I finally ended up carrying a stack of brochures explaining the car," Spallino said. "All of that was part of the fun."
Fuel cells: electric power from hydrogen fuel
Fuel cells create electricity through an electrochemical process that combines hydrogen and oxygen. Vehicles running on fuel cells would need to be supplied with gaseous hydrogen extracted from a hydrocarbon fuel, such as coal, natural gas, or methane. Honda is developing a home refueling station that draws gas from the home's utility supply and processes it for hydrogen use.
How fuel cells work
Hydrogen fuel is fed into the anode of the fuel cell. Helped by a catalyst, hydrogen atoms are split into electrons and protons.
Electrons are channeled through a circuit to produce electricity.
Protons pass through the proton exchange membrane.
Oxygen enters the cathode and combines with the electrons and protons to form water.
Water vapor and heat are released as byproducts of the reaction.
Electric Cars
VOLT FROM THE BLUE General Motors made a huge splash at the Detroit auto show in January when it unveiled its Chevy Volt concept. The car is designed to run on electricity alone, with batteries that can recharge either via an external outlet or an onboard gasoline engine, delivering 150 liles per gallon for drivers who commute up to 60 miles a day.
TECH Hybrid cars, which mate battery-powered electric motors with internal-combustion engines, are available now from Honda, Toyota and Ford, and most other manufacturers have models on the way. All-electric cars, including the Tesla Roadster, are having a harder go of it, mostly because of the limitations of current battery technology. The Chevy Volt concept, unveiled this year, cleverly straddles the fence between hybrid and all-electric cars. The Volt uses a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine only to charge a lithium-ion battery pack (yet to be developed) that powers the 120-kilowatt (160-horsepower) motor. Owners could also charge the Volt using a household outlet.
GREEN BENEFITS The Toyota Prius, a conventional hybrid, gets between 45 and 50 miles per gallon and produces half the amount of greenhouse-gas emissions of 30mpg sedans. If GM's Volt happens (battery technology won't be ready until at least 2010), it could drive on electricity alone for about 40 miles. That 40-mile-or-less drive describes 78 percent of American commuters. Even if the Volt drew its power from the dirtiest coal-fired plants, it would still produce less than half the emissions of a typical new car.
ECONOMICS Over 15,000 miles, the Prius costs an estimated $650 to fuel, compared with $1,300 for the 27mpg Toyota Camry. Driving the Volt 15,000 miles on electricity alone would cost only about $300 on the electric bill. Owners who drove 60 miles a day would see 150 miles per gallon and an average annual fuel cost of $116. But delivering a family car like the Volt at a price people could swallow—figure $25,000 in today's dollars—will be an enormous challenge.
OUTLOOK The first plug-in hybrids won't arrive before 2011; lithium-ion batteries have to get stronger, smaller and much cheaper to make the Volt viable and affordable for the masses. In the meantime, conventional hybrids will continue to dominate the alt-fuel market.
EST. MARKET SHARE IN 2027: 30%
TECH Hybrid cars, which mate battery-powered electric motors with internal-combustion engines, are available now from Honda, Toyota and Ford, and most other manufacturers have models on the way. All-electric cars, including the Tesla Roadster, are having a harder go of it, mostly because of the limitations of current battery technology. The Chevy Volt concept, unveiled this year, cleverly straddles the fence between hybrid and all-electric cars. The Volt uses a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine only to charge a lithium-ion battery pack (yet to be developed) that powers the 120-kilowatt (160-horsepower) motor. Owners could also charge the Volt using a household outlet.
GREEN BENEFITS The Toyota Prius, a conventional hybrid, gets between 45 and 50 miles per gallon and produces half the amount of greenhouse-gas emissions of 30mpg sedans. If GM's Volt happens (battery technology won't be ready until at least 2010), it could drive on electricity alone for about 40 miles. That 40-mile-or-less drive describes 78 percent of American commuters. Even if the Volt drew its power from the dirtiest coal-fired plants, it would still produce less than half the emissions of a typical new car.
ECONOMICS Over 15,000 miles, the Prius costs an estimated $650 to fuel, compared with $1,300 for the 27mpg Toyota Camry. Driving the Volt 15,000 miles on electricity alone would cost only about $300 on the electric bill. Owners who drove 60 miles a day would see 150 miles per gallon and an average annual fuel cost of $116. But delivering a family car like the Volt at a price people could swallow—figure $25,000 in today's dollars—will be an enormous challenge.
OUTLOOK The first plug-in hybrids won't arrive before 2011; lithium-ion batteries have to get stronger, smaller and much cheaper to make the Volt viable and affordable for the masses. In the meantime, conventional hybrids will continue to dominate the alt-fuel market.
EST. MARKET SHARE IN 2027: 30%
Future Fuel (Bio Diesel)
TECH Cleaner-burning than ethanol, with vastly better fuel economy, biodiesel could soon move beyond the fryer-grease fringe it's often associated with. Made largely from soybean oil or recycled cooking oil, biodiesel runs fine in unmodified diesel engines at up to a 20 percent blend with 80 percent petroleum diesel, a combination known as B20. Mercedes is conservative with its warrantied vehicles, recently announcing that drivers of Bluetec and CDI diesels could run B5; the same is true for Jeep's Liberty and the upcoming Grand Cherokee diesel. (In Europe, Citroën and Peugeot diesels can run up to B30.) Pure liquid biodiesel thickens at low temperatures, however, creating challenges for cold-climate storage and operation.
GREEN BENEFITS Biodiesel's greenhouse-gas emissions are about one third lower than gasoline. A University of Minnesota study found that biodiesel creates 93 percent more energy than is used to produce it, compared with just 25 percent for ethanol.
ECONOMICS B20 fuel contains only 2 percent less energy than regular diesel, so it delivers terrific mileage: 20 to 40 percent better than gasoline. Prices vary by region because of the limited supply sources, and it costs more than either gasoline or petroleum diesel.
OUTLOOK Despite efforts toward large-scale biodiesel production, for now it's a mere drop in a huge national reservoir of gasoline. Just 225 million gallons were produced in the U.S. last year, about as much gasoline as the nation guzzles in a day. There are only about 1,000 pumps nationwide, and any growth in that number depends on a rise in diesel usage. Biodiesel has better prospects in Europe, where diesel holds half the car market and the European Union produces nearly 90 percent of the world's biodiesel.
EST. MARKET SHARE IN 2027: 4% (B20)
GREEN BENEFITS Biodiesel's greenhouse-gas emissions are about one third lower than gasoline. A University of Minnesota study found that biodiesel creates 93 percent more energy than is used to produce it, compared with just 25 percent for ethanol.
ECONOMICS B20 fuel contains only 2 percent less energy than regular diesel, so it delivers terrific mileage: 20 to 40 percent better than gasoline. Prices vary by region because of the limited supply sources, and it costs more than either gasoline or petroleum diesel.
OUTLOOK Despite efforts toward large-scale biodiesel production, for now it's a mere drop in a huge national reservoir of gasoline. Just 225 million gallons were produced in the U.S. last year, about as much gasoline as the nation guzzles in a day. There are only about 1,000 pumps nationwide, and any growth in that number depends on a rise in diesel usage. Biodiesel has better prospects in Europe, where diesel holds half the car market and the European Union produces nearly 90 percent of the world's biodiesel.
EST. MARKET SHARE IN 2027: 4% (B20)
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Future Travel 2004
Future travel:
By Duncan Walker
Nasa's scramjet powered plane could change flying
The prospect of a revolution in air travel has been raised by Nasa's successful test of a 5,000mph plane. But are we likely to see similar advances in other forms of transport?
The way we get about has a profound impact on the way we live - affecting where we set up home, work and holiday.
Nasa scientists say their experimental X-43A jet has the potential to make the world a much smaller place. It has already led to predictions that passenger planes will one day fly from the UK to Australia in two hours.
But apart from the huge cost implications, governments are increasingly sensitive to environmental concerns and may resist the use of technology that could harm the planet.
So, dusting off the crystal ball, what changes might come in the way we get around? What big ideas are out there, and do they have any chance of seeing the light of day?
PERSONAL AIR TRAVEL
The idea: Flying cars
Developments in microlight technology will make it possible for everyone to own what are, in effect, flying cars. They will have closed cabins, heating, stereos and room for two people.
Microlight wings could be removed, to make them like cars
You will take off from a field or runway near your home and fly to towns and cities across the UK, or mainland Europe.
After landing, you will detach the fixed wing from your vehicle and continue your journey by road - right up to your final destination - just as if you were travelling by car.
Fuel efficient engines and the advantage of being able to travel as the crow flies - rather than by winding roads - will keep costs and the environmental impact down.
Will it happen?
It's not that far fetched. Microlight firm Pegasus is already building closed cabin vehicles, while some aircraft can travel at speeds of up to 130mph and fly for up to four hours.
Pegasus boss Bill Brooks says a combined three wheel car and microlight could cost about £30,000.
The downsides
The prospect of horrific crashes and air rage spring to mind.
The British weather often prevents microlight flying, and you can only travel during daylight hours. You need an airfield and learning to fly isn't easy.
There is also the question of developing propellers that can safely power cars.
"Whilst taxiing up the road under propeller power, I met a group of cycling proficiency children who I thought I'd chop up, so stopped and pushed the rest of the way," says Bill Brooks of an early test run.
FLYING FOR FUN
The idea: Jet Packs
James Bond used a jet pack to escape a French chateau after killing his enemy Jacques Boiter in Thunderball.
The idea of jet packs has been around for years
The idea was also a hit when a stuntman flew around on one during the opening ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
You will be able to use the device - roughly the size of two scuba tanks strapped to your back - on short journeys. Perhaps for going to the shops.
They will be handy for retrieving cats from trees, cleaning hard-to-reach windows and arriving in style at a party.
Will it happen?
It's looking increasingly unlikely - despite the fact we have already seen early prototypes in action.
It remains difficult to build a cheap, reliable version which has a practical use.
The downsides
"Lots of people set their pants on fire and went off in funny directions when they tried them out," says Austin Williams of the independent Transport Research Group.
And there's always the issue of whether you really need one.
TAXIS
The idea: Driverless cabs
These computer-controlled pods will take you wherever you want along a fixed route, whenever you want to go.
Computer-controlled driverless cabs could soon be in Cardiff
For the price of one person's bus fare, several people can ride at speeds of up to 25mph, with fences and elevated sections used to guard against accidents.
There will be little, if any, wait for use of the cabs, which will leave from stations and will be accessed by pre-paid smartcards.
The cabs, which will travel on a 1.5m-wide track, will use 75% less energy per passenger than a car and 50% less than a bus.
Will it happen?
There's a good chance it will. Testing has taken place in Cardiff, where developers hope to have 160 driverless cabs running by 2006.
"We have had a lot of interest from elsewhere in the country," says ULTra chief executive Martin Lowson. He says Corby and Daventry are both looking at the idea, as are Heathrow and East Midlands airports.
The downsides
Persuading investors and politicians to back the scheme. The possibility of vandalism against the cabs.
There's also the visual impact of elevated sections and possible disruption installing the tracks.
CARS
The idea: Safe, environmentally friendly cars
Cars of the future will do far less damage to the environment and will be equipped with futuristic safety devices to minimise the number of accidents and deaths.
With hydrogen power, nothing comes from the tailpipe but water
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
Engines could be powered by a rubbish-fuelled reactor - to make use of all the waste we produce. Alternatively, petrol may be replaced by fuel cells which separate hydrogen from oxygen in water.
Rounder and softer vehicles will appear as safety laws shape vehicle design. They will have sensors to detect pedestrians and other cars and will have air cushions inside and out.
They may also run along invisible tracks, via satellite technology. Traffic flow could even be controlled with vehicles "talking" to each other to regulate flow - meaning the end of traffic jams.
Will it happen?
Cars powered by fuel cells are already being developed, says the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
"Twenty years from now expect to see examples on our roads," it predicts. "With hydrogen power, nothing comes from the tailpipe but water."
The downsides
So many millions of people own cars that it will be years before environmental and safety improvements become commonplace.
The technology is still experimental and it remains to be seen whether car firms have the ability and commitment necessary.
RAILWAYS
The idea: Magnetically levitated trains
Maglev trains already run in China
Trains using "Maglev" technology will zip between cities at 260mph - twice the maximum speed British passengers are accustomed to.
The system uses a combination of magnetic attraction and repulsion for lift and forward movement on specially built tracks.
In effect the trains float on an electromagnetic cushion, which minimises friction.
Because journey times are significantly shorter, people will be encouraged to leave their cars at home.
Will it happen?
The first commercial Maglev train line is already in operation between Shanghai city centre and Pudong airport.
The technology was invented in Britain and a Maglev shuttle was actually built between Birmingham International Airport and the nearby railway terminal.
But it was abandoned in 1995 because it was unreliable.
The downsides
The costs. Chinese authorities were forced to abandon a Maglev line between Shanghai and Beijing because of the phenomenal price tag attached to the project.
High-speed trains already in use in Japan and Europe can travel nearly as fast as maglev trains, but on standard tracks.
By Duncan Walker
Nasa's scramjet powered plane could change flying
The prospect of a revolution in air travel has been raised by Nasa's successful test of a 5,000mph plane. But are we likely to see similar advances in other forms of transport?
The way we get about has a profound impact on the way we live - affecting where we set up home, work and holiday.
Nasa scientists say their experimental X-43A jet has the potential to make the world a much smaller place. It has already led to predictions that passenger planes will one day fly from the UK to Australia in two hours.
But apart from the huge cost implications, governments are increasingly sensitive to environmental concerns and may resist the use of technology that could harm the planet.
So, dusting off the crystal ball, what changes might come in the way we get around? What big ideas are out there, and do they have any chance of seeing the light of day?
PERSONAL AIR TRAVEL
The idea: Flying cars
Developments in microlight technology will make it possible for everyone to own what are, in effect, flying cars. They will have closed cabins, heating, stereos and room for two people.
Microlight wings could be removed, to make them like cars
You will take off from a field or runway near your home and fly to towns and cities across the UK, or mainland Europe.
After landing, you will detach the fixed wing from your vehicle and continue your journey by road - right up to your final destination - just as if you were travelling by car.
Fuel efficient engines and the advantage of being able to travel as the crow flies - rather than by winding roads - will keep costs and the environmental impact down.
Will it happen?
It's not that far fetched. Microlight firm Pegasus is already building closed cabin vehicles, while some aircraft can travel at speeds of up to 130mph and fly for up to four hours.
Pegasus boss Bill Brooks says a combined three wheel car and microlight could cost about £30,000.
The downsides
The prospect of horrific crashes and air rage spring to mind.
The British weather often prevents microlight flying, and you can only travel during daylight hours. You need an airfield and learning to fly isn't easy.
There is also the question of developing propellers that can safely power cars.
"Whilst taxiing up the road under propeller power, I met a group of cycling proficiency children who I thought I'd chop up, so stopped and pushed the rest of the way," says Bill Brooks of an early test run.
FLYING FOR FUN
The idea: Jet Packs
James Bond used a jet pack to escape a French chateau after killing his enemy Jacques Boiter in Thunderball.
The idea of jet packs has been around for years
The idea was also a hit when a stuntman flew around on one during the opening ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
You will be able to use the device - roughly the size of two scuba tanks strapped to your back - on short journeys. Perhaps for going to the shops.
They will be handy for retrieving cats from trees, cleaning hard-to-reach windows and arriving in style at a party.
Will it happen?
It's looking increasingly unlikely - despite the fact we have already seen early prototypes in action.
It remains difficult to build a cheap, reliable version which has a practical use.
The downsides
"Lots of people set their pants on fire and went off in funny directions when they tried them out," says Austin Williams of the independent Transport Research Group.
And there's always the issue of whether you really need one.
TAXIS
The idea: Driverless cabs
These computer-controlled pods will take you wherever you want along a fixed route, whenever you want to go.
Computer-controlled driverless cabs could soon be in Cardiff
For the price of one person's bus fare, several people can ride at speeds of up to 25mph, with fences and elevated sections used to guard against accidents.
There will be little, if any, wait for use of the cabs, which will leave from stations and will be accessed by pre-paid smartcards.
The cabs, which will travel on a 1.5m-wide track, will use 75% less energy per passenger than a car and 50% less than a bus.
Will it happen?
There's a good chance it will. Testing has taken place in Cardiff, where developers hope to have 160 driverless cabs running by 2006.
"We have had a lot of interest from elsewhere in the country," says ULTra chief executive Martin Lowson. He says Corby and Daventry are both looking at the idea, as are Heathrow and East Midlands airports.
The downsides
Persuading investors and politicians to back the scheme. The possibility of vandalism against the cabs.
There's also the visual impact of elevated sections and possible disruption installing the tracks.
CARS
The idea: Safe, environmentally friendly cars
Cars of the future will do far less damage to the environment and will be equipped with futuristic safety devices to minimise the number of accidents and deaths.
With hydrogen power, nothing comes from the tailpipe but water
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
Engines could be powered by a rubbish-fuelled reactor - to make use of all the waste we produce. Alternatively, petrol may be replaced by fuel cells which separate hydrogen from oxygen in water.
Rounder and softer vehicles will appear as safety laws shape vehicle design. They will have sensors to detect pedestrians and other cars and will have air cushions inside and out.
They may also run along invisible tracks, via satellite technology. Traffic flow could even be controlled with vehicles "talking" to each other to regulate flow - meaning the end of traffic jams.
Will it happen?
Cars powered by fuel cells are already being developed, says the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
"Twenty years from now expect to see examples on our roads," it predicts. "With hydrogen power, nothing comes from the tailpipe but water."
The downsides
So many millions of people own cars that it will be years before environmental and safety improvements become commonplace.
The technology is still experimental and it remains to be seen whether car firms have the ability and commitment necessary.
RAILWAYS
The idea: Magnetically levitated trains
Maglev trains already run in China
Trains using "Maglev" technology will zip between cities at 260mph - twice the maximum speed British passengers are accustomed to.
The system uses a combination of magnetic attraction and repulsion for lift and forward movement on specially built tracks.
In effect the trains float on an electromagnetic cushion, which minimises friction.
Because journey times are significantly shorter, people will be encouraged to leave their cars at home.
Will it happen?
The first commercial Maglev train line is already in operation between Shanghai city centre and Pudong airport.
The technology was invented in Britain and a Maglev shuttle was actually built between Birmingham International Airport and the nearby railway terminal.
But it was abandoned in 1995 because it was unreliable.
The downsides
The costs. Chinese authorities were forced to abandon a Maglev line between Shanghai and Beijing because of the phenomenal price tag attached to the project.
High-speed trains already in use in Japan and Europe can travel nearly as fast as maglev trains, but on standard tracks.
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