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Flying cars, teleportation and bullet-like trains – it all sounds like transportation methods from a sci-fi movie, but engineers believe it could soon be a reality.
A group of engineers has shared with 7DAYS what they think transportation could look like in Dubai 50 years from now. They shared their views shortly after it was announced that the UAE is investing millions of dollars into the research and development of the Hyperloop – a train that can travel from Dubai to Fujairah in 10 minutes.
The Associate Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, Mohamed Watfa, believes that the first flying motorcycle will be introduced in Dubai over the course of the next two to three years.
Watfa, who is the founder of a drone research centre at the university, said: “At our research centre, we already have drones that are autonomous and objects that can fly because of the drones. So, flying cars, especially autonomous ones, are a very big possibility and the UAE is leading in this area.
“The UAE has the kind of infrastructure flying cars and motorcycles require. And I think this transportation method would be much safer in the UAE than anything that travels on the roads. In the air, you have much more space and not having infrastructure in the way gives you flexibility.”
Watfa also believes being able to teleport objects through a giant machine will also be a possibility within 100 years just by changing the molecular structure of an object.
However, one aircraft engineer thinks that hover cars will come into play first.
Hamad Ismail said hover cars that can lift two to three feet off the ground through magnetic power will be a stepping stone to flying cars.
He said: “Magnetic plates would replace the wheels and the roads would be equipped with magnets as well. You’d turn the car on and the magnets would repel and the car will hover.
“This would also help reduce accidents, as it will have auto detection in it. One of the differences between a hover and flying car would be the altitude.
“A flying car would be able to go a 1,000ft into the air – but what if an engine malfunctions? That’s why hover cars would be a good start.”
Future transportation is already becoming a reality in Dubai. Driverless vehicles, called EZ10, were deployed in Downtown Dubai last month. The test was a part of Dubai’s long-term vision of switching 25 per cent of its transportation into driverless forms by 2030.
Masdar City in Abu Dhabi also has the driverless cars, called Personal Rapid Transit.
Orginal From 7days.ae
