• poVoq@slrpnk.netOPM
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      6 months ago

      No, these pods on existing rails are potentially a TON cheaper. Even if you don’t count the cost of maintaining the road (which is significantly more than maintaining rail tracks), the need for paying a driver makes most small shuttle bus services prohibitively expensive.

      • Prunebutt@slrpnk.net
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        6 months ago

        But the roads are already there. And R&D of this new and untested technology isn’t cheap, either.

        • bluGill@kbin.social
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          6 months ago

          In this case the rails are already there but unused.

          That is also several strike against this. Those rails exist but they are all in really bad shape as they were nearly universally used without maintenance until it was no longer feasible. They are also generally in bad areas where there isn’t much need for more transport - we already have roads in good shape (to run a bus on). The only thing this has over a bus is you can run them fully automated - which isn’t enough IMO.

          • CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work
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            6 months ago

            I think part of what makes tracks unusable for regular trains is when the rails become too misaligned. Of course that isn’t an issue for a vehicle that only requires one rail. I kind of like this idea.

        • poVoq@slrpnk.netOPM
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          6 months ago

          The tracks are also already there, and gyroscope stabilized monorail is a 100+ year old technology, not much new to develop about it other than using modern battery technology and some basic self-driving features for it.