There are a variety of distractions to implementing high speed rail that are constantly being brought up by someone. We call these "distractions" because they divert us away from our focus on building high speed rail.
The never-ending promises of the next "technofix" just around the corner keeps us paralyzed from action, and doing nothing today to solve our problems with readily available technologies and systems.
Distractions include hyperloop, maglev, podcars, hyrail, autonomous driverless cars, connected highways, etc.
None of these technologies are proven, or in widespread use anywhere in the world, which means none of them are ready for full blown commercial application any time soon. Most of them will require decades of research and testing to bring any of them to the level of commercial application. Some may never make sense for commercial application due to difficulty with design and function, or could prove to be too cost prohibitive, or too dangerous.
"Driverless cars are a technology to nowhere!"
Yet another driverless car crash - 2 dead:
Tesla car on autopilot crashes, explodes, and kills driver
Cars ruin our cities today... the last thing we need are Robo Cars! Story
The whole "driverless car" autonomous vehicle idea is the most absurd techno-fantasy of all - trying to figure out how to move large numbers of people quickly together (at great expense and trouble with a wireless guideway), when we already have a proven high-capacity system that does this with a robust, solid steel guideway - high speed rail. High speed rail systems regularly move up to 20,000 people per hour at 220 mph, reliably and safely, and without congestion or delay! Passengers can sit back, relax, and let someone else do all the driving.
Driverless cars have numerous problems yet to be figured out, tested, or solved. It will take decades, and trillions of dollars to get this even partially operating as a system. There's no indication that it will ever work, and all evidence so far points to failures and an extremely dangerous system, not worth investing in.
Tesla's driverless car system failure and crash
Driverless cars have numerous problems including being subject to constant hacking, incompatible vehicles entering the roads, high radiation exposures, computer glitches, system failures, and so many more issues. The millions of sensors and radar units would saturate users with a continuous fog of high levels of radiation, effectively turning our public roads into major cancer zones. The money it will take to even partially build this unproven system could instead pay to build a national high speed rail system, which is already 100% proven by 50 years of safe, high-capacity operations in numerous countries.
The biggest fantasy of all with driverless cars is the idea that there are roads where cars can actually speed along (as always shown in the fantasy renderings). The reality is most roads are wall-to-wall congestion with bumper-to-bumper conditions all across America. This is the same situation with or without drivers in the cars. Given the epic congestion across America, how can this techno-fantasy ever work, or provide speedy transportation in a sea of traffic congestion?
While we support innovation and creative thinking, we stay focused on getting the best system up and running as soon as possible using proven technology that the entire rest of the world is using, and has perfected to a very high level. This means no lengthy, expensive experimental period, but instead we can build the future today!
HIGH SPEED RAIL IS THE REAL DEAL - PROVEN, FAST, SLEEK, READY!
Speeding today across Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the UK, Turkey, China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and more!
A clear vision for the future of America
Sustainable transport system: 3-tiered electric rail network - high capacity, proven, ready to build today!
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