Innovation is always changing the status quo, and that is also the case with our nation’s transportation systems.
Another “always” is future predictions by people, associations and organizations.
In January 2016, experts at Volpe, the National Transportation Systems Center, issued a report that identified 11 emerging technological advances and innovative concepts and applications that could “fundamentally alter” the U.S. transportation systems within three to five years.
How have they done with their predictions thus far? You be the judge.
Here the 11 emerging technologies from the report:
- Additive manufacturing (3D printing).
- Advanced analytics and machine learning.
- Automated vehicles.
- Hyperloop. (This is a system of tube over or under the ground that contain a special environment wherein cars would be propelled in the tubes.)
- Infrastructure inspection robots.
- Innovative concepts for protecting pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists.
- The Internet of Things (IoT).
- Materials science in infrastructure.
- On-demand ride services (transportation network companies).
- Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
- Wireless power transfer.
The Volpe report hedged its predictions by noting that external factors – such as the growing role of data and connectivity, changes to the workforce and the uncertain impact of these technologies on travel behaviors – could maximize or hinder the potential of the technologies.