The Chinese are building a giant tramway that rides on stilts high enough so that it can ride over cars on busy streets, avoiding traffic jams. Cars will also be able to drive under them so as not to be stuck behind them when they are stopped at a bus stop.
Sensors in front and back will warn drivers if their vehicle is too high to go under the bus. When the bus needs to turn, sensors underneath it will warn the driver if there are still cars underneath it, and warn the car drivers that they need to move out. The bus will either ride on tracks or automatically follow painted lines on the ground.
Passengers will board the bus trough the side and roof on elevated boarding stations. Each bus will have a passenger capacity of up to 1,200 people !!
This kind of transportation system will cost 1/10th the price of building a subway of a similar capacity.
Another cool inovation of this bus is that it is electric powered and uses quick charge batteries that are charged through contact rods when the bus reaches a bus stop. Between bus stops, it uses the batteries, which means no ugly, messy and costly overhead electric lines like we see everywhere in San Francisco for instance. And in case of emergency, passengers will evacuate through inflatable slides just like in an airplane!
Watch a cool presentation of the system: (move to 44 second to go straight to the animation)
Construction began in Beijing last year and should be completed this year.
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