A while back, we commented on a book from MIT called “Reinventing the Automobile.” The premise is that urban transportation; cars and everything associated with them – the DNA of automobiles – have to be radically rethought with safety, efficiency and zero emissions in mind.
Now, GM has weighed in on the topic, publishing a so-called “Blue Paper” on its vision of sustainable urban mobility. Nice to know that the General still has a sense of humor!
GM’s vision of sustainable urban mobility is similar to MIT’s vision. No surprise, since GM collaborated on “Reinventing the Automobile.”
But the fact that GM has taken a public stand on the topic, via it’s recently published corporate-colored “Blue Paper” lends credence to a future of vehicle electrification, continuous connection to a communications network, electronic controls, networked crash avoidance systems and autonomous drive when you want, and flexible design for specific use.
To get this done, a few of the things GM proposes and supports are a comprehensive urban charging infrastructure, a smart power grid, diverse source, low-emission pathways to electrification, high-quality wireless communications for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) real time positional communication.
But here’s the important concept that sews the package together: the idea is to Integrate all these electric-powered, wi-fi connected vehicles into a transport system that links up highly efficient inter-city transport, intra-city transportation systems, like subways and busses, regular old utility trucks and delivery vehicles, and specialized city cars.
Think of a divided avenue that is transformed for safe use by pedestrians, a bike lane, and citycars on one side of the divider, and busses, trucks, and bigger cars on the other.
Kelly,
I listen to your show every Tues and Thurs and have two questions. If electric vehicles are widely adopted someday how will that impact the environment when everyone is using electricity to fuel their cars instead of gasoline?
And my second question has to do with the song you played on your January 11th show. Who was the artist and what is the name of the song?
Perhaps you could address my first question on the air. I really appreciate Life in the Fast Lane. Keep up the good work.
Hi, Michael!
Thanks for your listening loyalty, your kind regards and questions!
This Sunday (January 30th), 7-8pm, on Talk of the Bay, I’ll be speaking with Dr. Tim Lipman, co-director of UC Berkeley’s Institute of Transportation Studies. Tim specializes in topics, some for which you express concern, regarding electric-drive vehicles, fuel cell technology, combined heat and power systems, renewable energy, and electricity and hydrogen energy systems infrastructure. So, there’s a good chance you’ll have your question answered during my phone conversation with Tim.
The song you heard is called “Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne.
All the best,
Kelly
Kelly,
Thanks for your reply. I apologize about the date for the music. It was the only date in January that had a broken link so I couldn’t listen to it to ensure it was the right show and song. It was not J. Browne that I was trying to identify, but a female singer song writer who sang a very catchy tune. It was on a very recent show, but I can’t seem to find it online. Any ideas?