BIG + hyperloop one unveil 'near supersonic' transit system with autonomous pods

bjarke ingels group has revealed more details about its hyperloop transportation system, which would connect the UAE cities of dubai and abu dhabi in just 12 minutes. current connections between the two urban centers range from train travel, which takes over an hour, to a public bus that takes more than two hours. according to the design team, the scheme is based on a study of how an urban and inter-city transport network could and should integrate with existing infrastructure. the reveal coincides with the announcement of major deal between hyperloop one and dubai roads and transport authority.

all images courtesy of BIG / hyperloop one

the main objective of BIG and hyperloop one’s scheme is to eliminate waiting from the passenger experience, increasing convenience and reducing interruptions. consequently, instead of stations the connection nodes are called ‘portals’. all departure gates are immediately visible upon entering the portal, and a simple numbering system allows passengers to quickly identify them. passengers travel in 6-person pods, which are contained within a ‘transporter’ — a pressure vessel attached to a chassis for levitation and propulsion that can accelerate the transporter to 1,100 kph (684 mph).

the system would connect the UAE cities of dubai and abu dhabi in just 12 minutes

passengers board the next available pod, which moves onto a transporter to their final destination. the relatively small unit-size of the pods paired with a high arrival and departure rate allows for ‘on-demand’ travel. the pods are also capable of operating autonomously. this means they can move on regular roads and pick up passengers at any point. at portals, pods are loaded onto the transporter and ‘hyperjump’ to another portal, where they merge onto the street before dropping passengers off at their final destination.

the main objective of the scheme is to eliminate waiting from the passenger experience

‘with hyperloop one we have given form to a mobility ecosystem of pods and portals, where the waiting hall has vanished along with waiting itself,’ explains bjarke ingels. ‘hyperloop one combines collective commuting with individual freedom at near supersonic speed. we are heading for a future where our mental map of the city is completely reconfigured, as our habitual understanding of distance and proximity — time and space — is warped by this virgin form of travel.’

the plans combine ‘collective commuting with individual freedom’

hyperloop is a mode of transport designed to rapidly move people or things anywhere in the world. the system uses electric propulsion to accelerate a passenger or cargo vehicle through a tube in a low pressure environment. the autonomous vehicle levitates above the track and glides at faster-than-airline speeds over long distances. after coming up with the idea, elon musk open-sourced hyperloop technology, encouraging others — such as hyperloop one – to develop real-world solutions. consequently, several companies have been formed, each seeking to build a functioning system.

instead of stations the connection nodes are called ‘portals’

passengers travel in 6-person pods, which are contained within a ‘transporter’

pods are capable of operating autonomously, meaning they can move on regular roads

the plans seek to simplify long distance travel with direct point-to-point connections

the scheme is based on a study of how an urban transport should integrate with existing infrastructure

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project info:

name: hyperloop one
date: november, 2016
location: dubai
program: urbanism
status: in progress
project type: commission
client: hyperloop one
collaborators: BIG ideas

project team
partners in charge: bjarke ingels, jakob lange
project leader: sören grünert
team: erik berg kreider, adi krainer, ashton stare, cheyenne vandevoorde, cristian lera, daniele pronesti, derek wong, domenic schmid, evan wiskup, francesca portesine, kristian hindsberg, lam le nguyen, lasse kristensen, linda halim, maureen rahman, ovidiu munteanu, pei pei yang, ryan duval, stephen steckel, terrence chew, thomas christoffersen, veronica moretti

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