From Virginia to London, new public transportation options are being implemented around the globe. This summer, the first commercial PRT (personal rapid transit) system anywhere in the world will open at London’s Heathrow Airport. Commissioned by BAA (formerly the British Airport Authority) the system “comprises some 4 kilometers of guideway and will link one station in Terminal 5 to two remote stations in the business car park.” The objectives of the system, which was first designed several years ago, include:
- Low emissions
- High level-of-service
- Efficient use of space
- Good value for money
Take a look at the image gallery here to get a sense of the futuristic vibe the ULTra gives off. As seeing is believing, you can also watch the video below to see the pods in action. I’d definitely like to give one of them a try. However, as with many of the new technologies and inventions recently springing up across the U.S. and other countries around the world, only time and revision can make them widely adopted. After all, the Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997 and introduced world wide in 2001. Only in the last several years has it earned the recognition of ground breaking technology and become known and used among the masses.
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