Trackcar Future Transportation

PRT Future. At the seminar at the Aurorum tech village in Luleå scheduled Thursday, Magnus Hunhammar spoke on the advantages of PRT. In the audience were representatives of universities, cities, Swedish Road Administration, Swedish Rail Agency, and industry. Photo: Roland S. Lundström

Future transport is called trackcars [PRT] and they could well be made in Norrbotten, containing technology from Luleå Technical University and steel beams from Swedish Steel.
Science fiction, or a realistic future vision? We'll have to wait and see. On Thursday the subject was discussed at a seminar in Luleå.

Imagine an inexpensive vehicle moving noisefree along a rail a few meters above ground. In each driverless trackcar sits 1 to 5 people en route home after school, job or recreation.

PRT moves without having to stop for traffic lights and other things in the way, at a comfortable speed, about 40 kph, without emitting any exhaust fumes. Passengers press a button for one's destination and go there automatically.

Between neighborhoods or in outskirts of towns and communities speed increases to 80, and 200 kph in the countryside.

At the station nearest a passenger's home the vehicle drives off the rail down onto the ground, and continues on to the ultimate destination.

Driving on

Thus is the vision IST, the Institute for Sustainable Transportation, wants to have the whole world to take on. IST is a politically and organizationally nonpartisan Swedish interest group driving the development of track-bound traffic in the world.

At Thursday's seminar at the Aurorum technology village in Luleå, was led by IST founder Magnus Hunhammar, Christine Lindström, and representatives for colleges, cities, Swedish Road Administration, Swedish Rail Agency, and PRT business and its members.

"All can travel by PRT, one doesn't need a driving license since it all happens automatically. This means that young people can arrange rides to school and recreation safely and on their own," said Hunhammar, managing director of IST.

Big benefits

South Korean steel giant POSCO's subsidiary Vectus now has completed a PRT test track in Uppsala. According to IST, POSCO is spending 500 million kronor on the project, to open in September.

Because the Koreans have chosen to build the track in Sweden, in part due to our winters, Swedish engineers, technicians and others have gotten an opportunity to work on the project. Among other things, on the stations and vehicle components. Guideway of PRT are made of steel — on concrete pillars a few meters up in the air, and this means big benefits compared with today's trains — and automobile traffic.

"One won't collide with animals, people or other vehicles. Moreover, passengers will have an excellent view of their surroundings," said Hunhammar.

Round the clock

But the second advantage is the automatic vehicle.

"PRT runs day and night, they have no timetable. When you need one, it is ready and waiting for you, like a taxi."

Korea is out in front in implementing PRT, but other participants in the effort are part of the technical solution. For example, coming soon is a new terminal at Heathrow Airport that will get a PRT system. Dubai in the Mid East has also decided to bet on a system.

"It is cheaper to build PRT than other railway transport and moreover consumes considerably less energy than buses, electric cars, automobiles and trolleys," said Hunhammar.

The world is ready

IST believes that most likely test track will be built next year and that a commercial system can be ready by 2012-2015.

"The world is starting to become ready for this technology. Now the concern is to find common standards for it to become cheaper," said Hunhammar.

At the same time wants his colleague Christine Lindström emphasizes that it is still not known if the technology will function in large scale.

"This is still an early phase and one must have a long term outlook. If it is does work there will be big results for the whole community."

Janne Enbom

Fully Automatic. All can ride PRT. One doesn't require a drivers license and one can even be drunk, since travel occurs fully automatically, according to Hunhammar, managing director for the interest organization IST working to promote new economical, ecological and socially lasting transit. Photo: Roland S. Lundström

No Driver. PRTs are small vehicles for 1-5 passengers. It takes itself automatically there on a guideway a few meters up in the air and cannot hit animals, people or other vehicles. Thus here has the Korean company Vectus planned to give PRT a look. Illustration: IST

Uppsala Test Track. A PRT test track is just now ready in Uppsala. The opening is coming in September. Korean steel giant Posco, through its Vectus subsidiary, is venturing $73 million on the new technology.