Most people don’t know it yet, but San Jose is widely acclaimed as a world leader in podcar development, with Mountain View coming in at a close second. That’s why the city has been chosen to host “Podcar City: San Jose, Innovating Sustainable Communities,” an international summit on electric podcars, organized by the International Institute of Sustainable Transportation. The event will take place at City Hall, October 27-29.
First for some background. Mayor Chuck Reed has said that, “It’s San Jose’s goal to build one of the world’s great transit-friendly cities.” One key to doing just that is the podcar, also known as Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) or Automated Transit Network (ATN). This consists of a network of small, lightweight, driverless, computer-controlled vehicles operating on an elevated track almost like a horizontal elevator. There are stations, like a subway or monorail, but these are off the main track so movement is continuous and non-stop at 25 mph until the users arrive at their destination. Not only does the system use less power to operate than more conventional transportation methods. It can also be run entirely on renewable sources of electricity.
So where are the podcars? Nowhere yet, though plans are already underway to install them along various routes in England (the trip to Heathrow Airport), Sweden, Korea, and Abu Dhabi. In the U.S., San Jose is the first city to plan the podcars, having them connect between Mineta Airport and various BART and other light rail stations, both in existence and in the planning stages. Eventually, a podcar route is envisioned to connect directly with downtown. In Santa Cruz, a small group of activists has been pushing for podcars for years.
The system is costly, but the final price tag comes to less than conventional methods of transportation. They also serve a different pupose. Ron Diridon, the Executive Director of the Mineta Transportation Institute and a California High Speed Rail Authority board member, calls them “a brilliant solution to the first and last mile of travel, connecting people to the primary transportation lines.” It’s an intriguing idea, and one we’re bound to hear more about as the international conference approaches. Read more at Marketwire and SanJose.com.
