Futurama fans will be pleased to know that our future is looking Bender bright, if the Evacuated Tube Transport is any indication.
ET3.com has placed a patent for ETT, the Evacuated Tube Transport, which describes a bullet cars that travel at high speeds in airless five foot diameter tubes. The car-sized capsules will hold six adults and their luggage, and will use frictionless maglev, airlocks, and linear motors to transport the capsules.
ETT is proposing that the vehicles will travel around 350 mph for regional use, and up to 4,000 mph for cross country and global travel, while using an automated system to route the ETT capsules.
There’s no word on if or when this will become a reality, and many are likening this design to Julijonas Urbonas’ Euthanasia Coaster, as the the g force proposed has been cited as being high enough to kill someone, especially if there was a sudden decrease in speed.
Additionally, individuals are concerned about the safety aspects of the ETT, especially as a vacuum sealed environment is detrimental to anyone stuck in the tubes. The process is automated, thus susceptible to hacking, but fear not. If your capsule gets stuck it’ll be dislodged by the one following behind yours. Then again, some are concerned with the design flaws that have accompanied ET3’s inspiration.
