Tel Aviv is planning to build a futuristic network of “sky cars”. The elevated transport system will be built through a partnership between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and California’s skyTran.
The 500m loop will traverse IAI’s campus in Tel Aviv with two people inside each pod-like vehicle, which is suspended from elevated magnetic tracks. IAI hopes that the project will be a proof of concept to further alleviate traffic congestion.
skyTran already has a number of similar projects pencilled in in the US and India but this will depend on the success of the Tel Aviv pilot.
“Tel Aviv is a world city. It’s a destination for people around the world, a center of commerce. Israelis love technology and we don’t foresee a problem of people not wanting to use the system. Israel is a perfect test site,” Jerry Sanders, CEO of skyTran.
Manufacturing of the project’s initial parts will begin soon in California with the rest completed on site in Tel Aviv. It is hoped the automated loop will be up and running by the end of 2015.
With many talking about driverless cars and autonomous vehicles, it’s believed that skyTran could act as a realistic precursor to fully automated transportation. If the forthcoming pilot is a success in Tel Aviv, the manufacturer expect to expand the system in the city.
Irish journalist writing on business, tech and engineering.
