Meet George Jetson! Buzzing around in his bubble-top family saucer... whether it's the Jetsons or the flying cars in the Back to the Future films, our idea of the future of travel has always included aviating autmobiles, impractical though they may be. But are these science fiction wonders really in store for us? The folks at Kiplinger think so, and they feature one such idea in their article "Five Ways Technology will Change the Way You Travel." I'll outline those five things, and share my own opinion, after the jump.
1. Flying Cars
Yup, they didn't waste any time getting to this - thought it's a far cry from the Jetsons or Hill Valley of 2015. This is a plane that can drive on public roads by folding up its wings when it lands. It runs on plain old auto fuel, has a top land speed of 65 mph, and a hefty price tag to the tune of $200,000. Now - this clearly isn't for everyone. There's no parking garage in any city that will accomodate this thing, and you'd have to have a pilot's license as well as a driver's license to operate it. But to their credit, they're thinking rationally and implementing the air-car in more remote, rural areas where flying is already used as the most efficient means of travel. So while hovering gridlock above city streets still may be decades away, the Ask Patty nation's farmers may be driving flying cars long before the rest of us.
2. Cars that Drive Themselves
Also a staple of science fiction, the self driving car seems to be attainable technology, and we already have cars that can park themselves, but my question here is do we really want a car that drives for us? Personally, I find the idea a little disturbing, and I think I'd rather be in control of my own car, thank-you-very-much. I may be human and fallible, but at least I won't run out into oncoming traffic because of a spotty wi-fi connection with the traffic light system.
3. In-Car Internet
...because what else are you going to do while your car's driving you to work but check your email, browse Facebook, and check up on your favorite websites? But really, I think this is a good thing. There have been several occasions when I've been traveling out of town and I have to find a Starbuck's just to check my online banking, so in-car wifi will be a handy thing, so long as 'surfing while driving' doesn't become the new texting epidemic. Could this breed a new kind of porable PC? The Dash-Top? Could be...
4. Fuel Economy is Number Four on the list?
In a baffling move, fuel economy, arguably the one thing technology needs to solve sooner rather than later, comes in at number four on the Kiplinger breakdown. Personally I think fuel efficiency should come above the ability to fly across town, but that's just me. As I've mentioned here on the AskPatty blog before, new federal regulations will require an increase of an engine's target gas mileage from the mid-30s all the way up to 62mpg within the next decade. Of all the list, this one is I think the most tangible, and the most essential. And hey, fed, here's a tip: once the mileage increase is in place, let's not leave it there for another decade or so. Start making plans for the next MPG increase right away! This problem is too important to ignore, because as I've said many times, the only sure way to lower the price of gasoline is to use less.
5. Carbon Fiber
If fuel economy is the most important item on the list, this one is the coolest. For those of you who are unfamiliar, carbon fiber is an ultra-strong, super-light material that has actually been available for some time now as a building material, but it's been too pricey to include on anything but the most high-end sports cars... until now. BMW and German specialty firm SGL Group think they can cut costs enough with an assembly line for turning out carbon fiber sheets, woven like textiles and then covered in plastic resin. Look for BMW’s forthcoming line of electric cars to feature those carbon fiber pieces when they hit roads in 2013. Further out, BMW and other automakers hope to use carbon fiber in their more conventional models, which could see a 7% improvement in fuel economy while maintaining the driving performance and the solid, plush interior that affluent customers have come to expect. Awesome.
Check out the original article on Kiplinger
Kaeli Gardner AskPatty.com, Inc.
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