Transportation Technology from MIT
Electric Bicycles, Scooters, and Mini Cars for a Cleaner World
Apr 2, 2009
The future of current transportation systems is in jeopardy, with rising fuel costs, dwindling oil supplies, traffic congestion in cities, and more. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), researchers are working to find alternatives to the cars and trucks people have been using. Some options people are exploring are to promote the use of bicycles instead of cars or to introduce small, energy-efficient vehicles to city streets. With new technologies including motorized wheels for bicycles, stackable cars, and special scooters invented as part of the SmartCities project, giving up traditional vehicles might be easier than ever before.
Motorized Bicycles with GreenWheel
Bicycles were once a standard transportation option even in North America, but the convenience and relative affordability of cars in the late twentieth century changed all that. However, concerns about the environment, health, and rising costs of driving are making cycling more popular again. In Europe, bicycles have long been a preferred method of transport, and most cities are planned with cyclists in mind; bicycle paths have become standard features along many roads. North Americans have been slower to catch the cycling spirit, but the health and environmental benefits of using human-powered vehicles are making people think more seriously about riding bicyles. With new technology such as GreenWheel, people can have the benefits of motorized vehicles together with all the advantages of bicycle-riding.
Bicycle-Sharing Programs
GreenWheel is part of SmartCities, a series of projects researchers at MIT are promoting, designed to help expand transportation options for communities. Its Mobility-on-Demand program makes bicycles and light electric vehicles like scooters available to the public for a small fee based on use. Some cities have picked up on this idea and implemented bicycle-sharing programs in which riders rent bicycles at one of several locations around the city and return them to another site when they are done.
The Vélib’ program in Paris, for example, has been very popular since it first began in 2007. Although theft and vandalism have been problems for Paris, the idea is still gaining ground in other cities, and the GreenWheel technology could help. For people who cannot afford cars or who enjoy the versatility and health benefits of cycling, motorized bicycles could help considerably.
Scooters and Stackable Cars
Other SmartCities programs developed at MIT could help to change transportation. The CityCars program features rechargeable two-passenger electric cars, which could run along bus or subway lines. These small, stackable cars could greatly reduce the problems of traffic congestion while still giving people the flexibility they need. Another innovation is the RoboScooter, a foldable electric scooter that can be used in all kinds of situations where cars are impractical. Traditional vehicles might not disappear from the roads any time soon, but inventions such as these could help the transition to more energy-efficient vehicles.
Solving the Problems of Alternative Transportation
Although the idea of replacing cars with smaller, “greener” vehicles appeals to many people, some problems still have to be solved. One of the biggest issues in North America is safety. Unlike the streets in much of Europe, most North American roads are built primarily for cars, and riding anything smaller can be very dangerous. Cyclists are the most vulnerable, but even drivers of motorcycles and other small vehicles can easily be injured. Better bicycle paths and separate lanes for smaller vehicles, however, could help.
If the new technology from MIT works, it could be part of a unique solution to the world’s transportation issues.
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