Advantages of Carrying Autos

It may seem that there can be no justification for going to the considerable expense of constructing an Autran system for carrying autos which are designed to move under their own power and which are quite capable of doing so. However, there are very important and compelling reasons for doing so, as follows:

• Carrying autos can prevent many deaths and injuries that would otherwise result if autos are driven on conventional roadways. Most roadway accidents are caused either by adverse weather conditions such as ice, snow, rain and fog or by driver error. These causes are avoided with the Autran system. The vehicles move on tracks that are within guideways in regions protected from the weather. Each vehicle is electronically controlled to normally move along a main guideway at a constant speed and at a safe following distance behind a vehicle ahead, increasing that distance when necessary to provide space for merging of a vehicle entering from a branch line. Additional safety features are provided including protection against adverse effects of strong side winds, traction control and the ability to reduce overall speeds of vehicles in extreme weather conditions. The system should be in use for reasons of safety alone.
• An example of safety advantages is provided by an Autran 10-mile system. See Financial Analysis . This system is designed for entry of an average of 36 autos per hour in each of 48 lanes to be carried though an average distance of 8 miles, so that it could carry autos through a total distance of over 121 million miles in one year. This means that with a 10-mile system, 4 to 5 million gallons of gasoline might saved and that from study of published transportation statistics, 605 crashes with 10 fatalities and monetary costs of over $10 million might be avoided. (See Journal of Transportation and Statistics, May 1999, http://www.bts.gov/jts/V2N1/3wang.pdf , especially Table 2 at page 26) On the basis of safety alone, the system could pay for itself in a short time.
• Drivers who use the Autran system to be carried in their autos will do so because the fares that they pay will be less than the value of the benefits they obtain. In addition to greater safety, they obtain benefits which include:
  • avoiding of the stress and aggravation of driving.
  • freedom to work, rest or otherwise do what they like while moving to their destination.
  • saving of time.
  • reduced wear and tear of their cars.
  • increased range of any EVs that they may use.
• Those who do not use the system will pay nothing. However, they will benefit because autos being carried will not be moving on existing roadways and they will avoid the increased congestion and the pollution, noise and other adverse environmental effects which would otherwise result.
• Another very important benefit from carrying autos is the potential it provides for construction of urban and interurban guideways that may eventually form a nationwide network and that will provide a major means for transporting people in autos or in passenger cabins and freight in containers.

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