Transportation technology trends you should keep an eye on

Transportation is what literally moves the world forward. From cars to bicycles, space ships to railways, new technology can help the entire world excel toward the future. New technological infrastructure can support transport innovations that can advance the way we approach travel.

Because of the enormous potential in every transportation vertical, transit engineering is one of the fastest-growing fields in the world.

The future of transportation is faster, more efficient and light-weight

6 trends to keep an eye on

Transit technology stems from three needs: efficiency, safety and weight. The goal has always been to get people and things to their destination more quickly while consuming as few resources as possible. One simple and obvious example is the rigorous speed at which electric vehicle technology has advanced just in the last year alone.

With the help of AI, deep learning and manufacturing, the modes of transportation we use every day are being further developed. The future of autonomous cars, and hyperloops are just a couple of the innovations that will change the world of travel forever.

Aerospace

Businesses like SpaceX and Virgin Galactic are competing to be the first to offer public spaceflight, meaning that your childhood dream of being an astronaut and traveling into space is not as far-fetched as it once was. Technological advancements around commercial space travel are one of the more incredible technological breakthroughs in recent history.

The use of reusable rocket boosters is one advancement hinting at this future. SpaceX developed boosters that, instead of falling back to earth in a fiery ball of debris, gently float down to the earth's surface with more accurate precision. Developing reusable boosters also makes space travel more cost-effective.

Hyperloop

Hyperloop is a type of transportation that uses physical vacuum properties to send people from one place to another. The aim is to improve inner-city transportation and reduce the complexity of travel. Currently, the technology can travel at a top speed of 600 MPH — twice the speed of modern-day trains.

Of course, the hurtle engineers must face is building vacuum tubing across thousands of miles of land and investing billions of dollars in the project.

Magnetic levitation trains

Instead of relying on traditional train tracks, magnetic levitation trains will hover around four inches above the track using electrically-charged magnets. They are already in operation in China and Germany and are said to be exceptionally stable and comfortable. The trains can travel up to 375 miles per hour. They are poised to be the primary mode of train transportation around the world by 2030.

Multi-directional elevators

Now, you may be thinking of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory here, but this is a reality we may encounter in the near future. German elevator manufacturer, Thyssen Krupp, is developing a ropeless elevator system that travels not only up and down, but sideways as well. Sophisticated switch technology will guide the elevator using carbon fiber bearings (also known as loops) that will allow for the elevator to travel multi-directionally.

Last-mile robots

2020 saw a spike in online shopping and that meant more packages delivered to people's homes. Transportation isn't only about moving people, but their things as well and last-mile robots are here to help. Businesses are using robots to travel across cities to deliver packages to your front door. Organizations like Amazon and FedEx are already using some of this technology to cut down on human error and labor within a few miles of their fulfillment centers. Pizza delivery is another vertical poised to use this technology as well.

Automated flight and freight check-in

This technology works with the Internet of Things to revolutionize commercial business air travel. While checking into your flight online has been deployed for nearly a decade now, baggage and cargo check-in is the next step. Using a unit load device (UDL) and a network of shipping containers, delivery specialists can use software that will register the weight, size and contents of each UDL, saving hundreds of hours of manual labor a year. This can help reduce the likelihood of cargo misplacement or displacement in the wrong location.

The effect on economic growth

As technology continues to advance, manufacturers, workers and citizens alike can look forward to more efficient, affordable and quicker transportation. New technology opens the door for more jobs, investment and market opportunities.

Perle is the leading transportation equipment technology company you can count on. Increasing efficiency, passenger safety and cost-effective systems are not only in demand but growing. Our device servers and terminal servers enable a diverse range of equipment to maximize transportation technology.