Innovation Blog

Mean machines – Hassle-free urban transport

Thursday, August 13, 2009 | Posted by: Brian Maguire
Categories: Environment, Technology | Tags: innovation, technology, renewable energy, energy, engineering, science, car, car industry, eco, fuel, airport, General Motors, heathrow, hydrogen

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“Wanted: silent taxi driver - no jip, no ranting, no dodgy fare charges; must run on hydrogen.” Coming to a terminal near you, this sci-fi reality of urban transport is no false dawn.

For a generation, General Motors and Volkswagen have been focused on manufacturing autonomous vehicles for everyday public use. An initiative which began as a defence sector project to provide self-guided battle craft, has become a marketable public transport solution. If the auto-cabs we see on our streets within five years have a voice, they will smoothly declare: “This isn’t just innovation, this is marvellously spectacular innovation.”

 

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Tata Motors - The New Ryanair

Friday, March 27, 2009 | Posted by: Brian Maguire
| Tags: car industry, india, sir roger bone, boeing uk, nano, ryanair, biofuels, aerodynamics, tata, federal reserve

Small, is the new big. Tata Motors is combusting old car industry models with the launch of its petite Nano – a car so small you can put it on your credit card. News of the Nano got analysts engines running a little faster, which was a surprise, given that the Nano is to be made in India. Its tiny price point, at about $2000, is the spark set to revolutionise our concept of value – this will be the most important product pitch in a generation.

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