Railways, roadways, airways, waterways, and pipelines have been the primary traditional transportation modes for centuries! These modes have continued to evolve rapidly as technology advances and societal needs change. Advances including electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous vehicles, sustainability solutions, hyperloop technology, drones, and advances clickbet88 login in urban planning are expected to make transportation safer, more efficient, and environmentally sound. Here are my predictions for how these trends and technologies will impact our transportation infrastructure moving forward.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are steadily growing, driven by advancements in battery technology, improved charging infrastructure, and government incentives. Currently, electric cars make up only a small portion of the total cars on the road. In 2022, EV sales increased 65% compared to 2021. Approximately 5.7% of US car sales were fully electric car sales in 2022; that is up from 3.2% in 2021, 1.7% in 2020, and 1.4% in 2019. According to a new Bloomberg New Energy Finance report, 57% of vehicles sold and over 30% of all cars will be electric by 2040.
This technology has been and will continue to be developed and evaluated by various companies throughout the world. Autonomous vehicles have the potential to revolutionize transportation by improving safety, reducing congestion, and increasing efficiency. Real-time vehicle data and data analytics including Machine Learning (ML) and predictive analysis will present many opportunities for developing design and operational alternatives for safer designs, and balancing safety and mobility in a roadway system. Likewise, the integration of transportation systems with data and technology (Smart Cities approach) will enable real-time monitoring, optimization of traffic flow, decrease needs for even more infrastructure, and make for better transportation planning.
Finding solutions that enhance sustainability will be a major objective to building and maintaining efficient transportation modes in the future. Rail transportation (high-speed, commercial, and light rail) is expected to rise since it is the most environmentally-friendly way to deliver goods and people from one place to another. Compared to trucks and ships, trains emit 80% fewer carbon emissions. Travel by heavy and light rail within cities or across long distances releases the least amount of greenhouse gasses into the air out of all forms of transportation studied by the International Energy Agency. Government funding such as Federal Capital Investment Grants will be on the rise to support such sustainable solutions for inner city and long-distance travel.
This technology involving high-speed pods traveling in low-pressure tubes could revolutionize long-distance travel, reducing travel times significantly. Hyperloop is one of the most trending technologies in the field of transportation. A hyperloop pod can travel at a speed of 700 mph. Projects are developing at various locations across the globe, and we expect to see actual deployments between major cities across the United states in the next 20 years.
Drones for delivery services will be the future mode of transporting goods for short distance delivery. Drones offer efficient and environmentally-friendly options in urban areas. By avoiding challenges such as traffic bottlenecks and parking restrictions, drone delivery can become the preferred choice for an on-point delivery for time-sensitive goods, emergency aid, medical supplies, and more.
