Every second year, the IAA becomes the Mekka of the automotive world. Since the IAA moved from Frankfurt to Munich in 2021, it also showcases other mobility solutions, not just cars. Much has been written in the last days about the cars, and here I want to give an overview about the other mobility options that were on show.
Helsinki Achieves Vision Zero 0 people died in traffic in Finland’s capital in the last 12 month. An amazing achievement for this city of 690,000 inhabitants. Compare this with other cities of this size, e.g. Nuremberg, Germany, where the death toll was 11. Wouldn’t it be worth to make some changes to the planning rules to save these lives? Helsinki did just that, by setting a speed limit of 30 kph in many streets, especially around schools. The decision where to limit the speed was based on data where most of the crashes occurred. In addition, they added bike lanes and improved p ublic transportation, reducing overall traffic and thus decreased the likelihood of accidents. Other European cities are following suit and are also setting up similar measures. Vision Zero - the European Union’s plan to have 0 traffic related deaths by 2050 - it has come a little closer. Virtual Train Coupling Imagine individual trains could be coupled without any mechanical connection. If it were possible, multiple trains could occupy the same blog segment at the same time while they could also part their ways any time. Right now, this is not possible. To connect trains, they have to be coupled mechanically, a maneuver which has to be done while both trains are standing, and often also requires manual intervention. The German research institute DLR has now shown in a prototype how virtual coupling could work. In this prototype, two trains communicate with each other via Ultra-Wideband (UWB). This is a radio technology that allows an exact distance measurement between the communication partners. One of its applications is to find out where a smartphone is relative to a car, which is the basis of the BMW Digital Key technology. In addition to UWB, also lasers are used to measure the position of the trains very precisely. The researches have shown that with this technology, trains can travel in a distance of a few dozen meters from each other. Once this technology is ready for series production, it would allow both more automation of railroads and a higher track capacity. A similar approach is also being evaluated for virtual coupling of busses, as I reported back in 2023. I am looking forward that this 21st century technology will make the railway system fit for the future. Berlin open for a new maglev line Ute Bonde, the senator for transport of Berlin, said she is open to add maglevs in the transport mix in Berlin. She sees them as an alternative to conventional tramway lines, but also for freight traffic into the city. Even though she did not mention any provider, there is only one company that could deliver such a system in Germany: The Transport System Bögl, which I had the chance to visit last year. It would be the first city to build such a system and thus a trailblazer for maglevs in public transportation. Ms Bonde wants to present her whitepaper for the future of mobility in Berlin in the fall of this year. I am looking forward to it, maybe it will really make maglevs a reality after so many years of discussions. Tokyo Metro - 100 Cameras If you have already watched the documentary “Metrocosmos” (see here), here is another must-watch documentary for subway aficionados. It shows the complex activities that keep the Tokyo Metro running by dispersing a hundred cameras everywhere - in trains, on platforms and in the control center. You see in real time how this organization detects problems, finds solutions and constantly adapts. It is almost like a living organism, which is fascinating to watch. No wonder that London wanted them to operate their Elizabeth Line. The video will be available until Dec. 13th 2025, so hurry up to watch it. Title image by DLR, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Bridge to Sicily - Construction scheduled to start this year A ride from mainland Italy to Sicily takes hours, as you have to take a ferry across the Medina Strait. But this is about to change: The world’s longest suspension bridge shall connect Sicily to the rest of Italy. The bridge shall span a record of 3.3km. As a suspension bridge, it shall be especially resistant against earthquakes. Construction is supposed to start in 2026. Once finished, it can carry 6,000 cars per hour and additionally 200 trains per day. Autonomous eVTOL supplies offshore oil rig in China Chinese company Autoflight tested their fully electric eVTOL that can carry up to 400kg of load. The purpose of this autonomous drone is to support offshore oil rigs. Current ways of supplying them are either via ship, which can take up to ten hours or more, or via helicopter, which is very expensive. Thus a fully electric and autonomous drone could save lots of time and money. The drone fills a similar niche as the MightlyFly about which I wrote in July. As soon as these drone types become reliable and economical, they are goint to reshape many industries. Metrocosmos - a fascinating look into the underground This week I watched the documentary Metrocosmos by Filmmaker Timo Novotny. In this five-part documentary, Timo takes us on a journey into the underground of Paris, Prague, Berlin, Vienna and Naples. We learn about the fact that the metro in Naples is one of the metros with the steepest gradiants. Or that the length of the Paris metro, which is already one of the largest in the world, is currently in the progress of being extended to twice the track length! On this journey we also meet all kind of people in the underground, from the construction workers who built the tunnels, over designers who create the visual communication concept, to the urban explorers who find abandoned places all over the networks. All of this is presented in a captivating visual style, combined with a hypnotic soundtrack. This is a must-watch for all subway afficinados. The videos are currently available (in German) on the ARD Mediathek. Title Image by the Messina Strait Bridge Company.
Autonomous Rail/Road Transport Vehicle to be Evaluated in California American startup Glid Technologies announced a partnership with Mendocino Railway to operate their autonomous transport vehicles. The idea of their “GliderM” vehicles is to automate the first and last mile of intermodal transport. The vehicle that looks like a truck can travel both on roads and on tracks. It is supposed to pick up a container autonomously, then move it across streets and railway tracks. It might compete with the autonomous railway cars that Parallel Systems is developing (see my blogpost here). This idea reminds me of other combined rail/road vehicles, like the “Rail-Road Bus” that the German Railways used in the 1950s. Click here to see some original footage. As the idea is not really new, I wonder what they see as their unique selling proposition. Unfortunately Glid’s company homepage is very low on details of the concept. Hopefully I can do a further evaluation once more information is made available by the company. Ekranoplans Making a Comeback? Ekranoplans - or Wing-in-Ground Effect (WIG) - are airplanes that can fly directly above the water surface. The main user of these airplanes was the Red Army, who planned to use them to transport goods and troops quickly to enemy beaches. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the idea came out of fashion. Now activities in China and the US indicate a comeback could be imminent. China appears to develop a new WIG, the “Bohai Sea Monster”, as Navalnews.com reports. With the ongoing thread of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, it needs little imagination what the intention is. On the other side of the Pacific Ocean, the American research agency DARPA worked on the Liberty Lifter concept. The goal of this program was to develop a new WIG concept, usable both for Military and civilian scenarios. In contrast to the Chinese efforts, no prototypes are yet in sight. Still it appears the Ekranoplans could populate the World’s waters once more. Blended Wing Bodies Coming to Civilian Aircraft? Blended Wing Body aircrafts promise improved efficiency and additional space for seating or cargo. While the original idea is more than 100 years old, its application has so far been largely restricted to military aircraft. The American B2 bomber is the most prominent one. But now two innovative startups want to bring this concept to the civilian sector: JetZero and Natilus. This video by the German platform Airliners.de explains the pros and cons of Blended Wing Bodies in detail and why now seems to be the right time for a comebock of this idea. Title Image by Glid Technologies.
Hypersonic Aircraft Powered by Hydrogen Following NASA, also the European Space Agency ESA plans to develop a hypersonic aircraft. The European INVICTUS project even goes one step further and aims add an environmentally friendly propulsion system using Hydrogen. In addition, the aircraft is supposed to take off horizontally, so it can start and land at conventional airports. As hypersonic airfact travel close to space, this shall one day provide convenient access to space travel. Yet this is still science fiction - NASA estimates the development will take decades and predicts commercial travel in the 2050s. Czech Railways End Traditional Dining Car Service Some sad news from the Czech Railways CD. They plan to decomission their old-style dining cars on the trains connecting Prague with Berlin and Hamburg. They will be replaced by modern Bistro cars. Gone are the days where you would get your traditional Czech Roast with dumplings, prepared in an actual kitchen and served on a table with table linen. It was the last dining car where you could get to feel like you were in the “Old Europe”. Now also this train arrives in the present. Too bad I never had the chance to dine in one of those cars. Snake on a Globe Ever since I got my first mobile phone - a Nokia - I love playing Snake. I also love maps. This browser game is the perfect combination of both - you play Snakes on globe! You guide the snake from one city to the next. The next city is randomly chosen, and you only see the city’s name. You need a good knowledge of geography to find the shortest way and get the highest score. A perfect way to pass your time and test your geography. Also have a look at the author’s other projects, he has a knack for visualisation of information. After spending more time than intended playing snake, here is another way to spend countless hours! Title Image: ©️ESA
Swiss company Cargo Sous Terrain plans to reform freight transport by going underground on a large scale. In the shadow of more flashy developments like the Teslas zipping under Las Vegas, they follow a more down-to-earth (literally) approach. Learn more about this new concept for freight transport in this article.
Maglev trains are a transportation technology that seems to be on the verge of a breakthrough for many decades now. While the Transrapid has failed and the Hyperloop is still in its infancy, the company Max Bögl is working on a completely new version, the Transport System Bögl. We could visit their test tracks in the town of Sengenthal. In this article, we share what we learned about this fascinating new mode of transportation and the opportunities and risks for its widespread adoption.
Imagine ordering food at your favorite restaurant and having it show up at your office or living room a few minutes later. This is the idea of Pipedream Labs, who want to connect restaurants, supermarkets and homes with an underground delivery system.
An American startup is on a mission to change rail freight forever. They want to introduce self-driving, autonomous freight cars. The idea is to make rail freight more flexible and cost-effective, and to get more freight on the rails. Let’s take a look at what the future of freight could look like.
The transport sector is responsible for a large proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions. It is essential that it be converted to renewable energy. For cars, the transition to mainly battery-electric vehicles has begun. But for trucks, the technology of choice is not yet clear. Because they are much heavier than cars, they will also need larger batteries. Right now, there is a race between battery electric trucks, hydrogen trucks, and overhead catenary trucks. Yes, you read that right: Trucks with a catenary, like an electric train! How do they work and what are their chances in this competition? Read on to find out more.