Comment Consider split drivertain/passenger compartment? (Score 1) 229
I would love to see fast, affordable public transportation that goes exactly where you want to go. I think driverless electric cars have the potential to be an amazing solution, if we're willing to change one thing: Split the car in half! Portable docking stations could be installed in your garage, your parking place at work, and long term destinations like hotels.
The powertrain of your car then becomes a commodity, that can be used by anyone via a micro-payments system when you're not using it. (It would advertise itself locally when appropriate, such as while you're at work, or at home. Of course this is OPTIONAL.)
Your passenger compartment is truly yours and stays with you when you're at work, at home, or any long term destination. This part is lower cost, but includes smaller batteries for the entertainment and passenger comfort systems.
Passenger compartments would be affordable so people of all incomes could buy them, and be empowered to move freely about their community once wide adoption occurred.
Combine this system with something like Elon Musk's Hyperloop concept for the long distance travel, and now you're only using your electric cars for the short hops where they really excel. Reserve a power-train with your cel-phone when you arrive at your destination city, and your taken straight away to your hotel.
Does this idea have any merit that you or your company may consider in the future?
The powertrain of your car then becomes a commodity, that can be used by anyone via a micro-payments system when you're not using it. (It would advertise itself locally when appropriate, such as while you're at work, or at home. Of course this is OPTIONAL.)
Your passenger compartment is truly yours and stays with you when you're at work, at home, or any long term destination. This part is lower cost, but includes smaller batteries for the entertainment and passenger comfort systems.
Passenger compartments would be affordable so people of all incomes could buy them, and be empowered to move freely about their community once wide adoption occurred.
Combine this system with something like Elon Musk's Hyperloop concept for the long distance travel, and now you're only using your electric cars for the short hops where they really excel. Reserve a power-train with your cel-phone when you arrive at your destination city, and your taken straight away to your hotel.
Does this idea have any merit that you or your company may consider in the future?
