[ale] Mass Transit Solutions?

[Michael Still]

On 6/16/06, Jesse Guardiani <jesse at guardiani.us> wrote:
> James P. Kinney III wrote:
> > So the big questions I have to pose is:
> >
> > What can be done about it that is financially feasible, politically
> > possible and technically available?
> >
> > Of course I have some thoughts on this. :)
> >
> > We already have an extensive network of asphalt. Neighborhood
> > associations have enough clout to kill off a rail line in the areas
> > where it is needed (Why has the Tucker Marta spur never been built?).
> > The Grand Darpa Challenge has demonstrated we currently posses the
> > technical ability to auto-navigate a car through some of the worst
> > terrain.
> >
> > Is it feasible to have current cars retro-fitted with self-nav as an
> > intermediate step to a purpose built light vehicle with self-nav
> > designed in?
> >
> > There are social issues with peoples current choice of cars that can't
> > be addressed with technology (Why do so many little, tiny women drive
> > gigantic 3 ton monsters like Chevy Suburbans north of I-20?).
> >
> > My thinking on the self-nav is it could allow a smoother traffic flow
> > process that would be safer and much more fuel efficient. Ad 60% of the
> > work done by the engine is to simply move the air out of the way,
> > self-nav would allow cars to safely tail-gate literally bumper-to-bumper
> > and thus greatly reduce wind drag on the entire mini-train.
>
>
> I don't think it'll happen in my lifetime. Auto nav will probably need
> some sort of centralized management system to insure reliability and
> route around construction, accidents, etc. And just imagine if someone
> gets it into their head to hack a car's auto nav or worse, a central
> controller.
>
> Not to mention the fact that you mentioned "financially feasible". Have
> you seen the massive computers they put in those darpa vehicles? The GPS?
> The other forms of vision systems. It ain't cheap.
>
> Now, I'm not saying that it'll never be cheap. I'm sure it'll come together
> eventually and come down in cost, but it certainly isn't a solution for today.
>
> I'd love to see some railway routes, especially between Chattanooga and Atlanta
> along I75, but this conversation seems to have highlighted political problems
> with such a plan.
>
>
> --
> Jesse Guardiani
> Programmer/Sys Admin
> jesse at guardiani.us
>

This is an active area of research that should see many advances over
the upcoming decades.

The use of Ad Hoc networks for the cars themselves would be a primary
communication method between vehicles.  There should not be any
reliance on a central system for this kind of network.  Also the use
of a broadcast form of communication can be used to send out alerts
like all lanes blocked on i-20 east.

One problem that will have to be addressed is the fact that many
people actually like to drive.  Mixing human drivers and autonomic
driving would not work.  Zones would probably have to be created so
that people could drive themselves when they wanted.

There is soo much more that can be discussed about this but this is
not the right forum for it.

If there is enough momentum for a discussion then I can persuade the
listmaster to create a new list like geeks at ale.org for OT discussions.
 Having a geeks list has worked for other groups such as sunhelp.

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