Not that I’m that upset considering how poor most people’s driving skills are where I live, but K5 has a neat article up that neatly outlines technologies which really want to be in use today, but aren’t. I know I’ve seen several of these ideas posted in other places before, but the article nicely consolidates them.
Of course, it’s also worth noting that many or all of the ideas in that article come from The Collapsium, a work of fiction, but it seems to me that plenty of cool scifi comes from bleeding-edge technology, itself inspired by works of fiction in an odd cycle.
The technologies in that article are fun to speculate about, but for the most part they’re either likely not based on reality (Podkletnov, the fusor, tapping zero-point fields (the laws of thermodynamics get you there)) or really not going to be possible for centuries (Alcubiere’s warp drive requires a source of negative mass somehow).
Tsk.
If you’re going to demand flying cars, you should include a link to the Skycar page.
Fortunately, you can see that Moller intends for mass-produced Skycars to be flown by computer. So you’ll just have to tell it “go to the landing pad for Grandma’s neighborhood”, look up, take off, and when you’re safely above the treetops push the “GO” button. The vehicles then get to the destination in a rational way (avoid restricted airspace, flock with vehicles going in the same direction in an airway reserved for that direction, ask if you want to refuel and lunch in Indianapolis or Memphis because you need a refill between Fargo and Miami).
As for the stuff in that article, the most amusing twist on those technologies which I’ve encountered was in some SF which used laser-propelled interstellar craft. Yes, they required huge amounts of energy to accelerate to a significant fraction of the speed of light. Yes, they had relativistic effects. How did they get so much energy? Slamming plates together. They said that someone discovered that zero point energy was lasable. So they were generating laser beams between the gaps of flat plates. I love a simple solution. If only it worked.
Hi my name is Michael and I’m wondering what will happen in the year 249 and if we will all have flying cars that year that will take us to mars and see what it would feel like.And I have a dog named Charlie and three cats names Midnight,Taffy,Myrtle.And will we all be scared?.And also will we enjoy it alot and knowing that it was cool and interesting and fun and exiciting?.And see all the people with us laughing and saying I love this alot.Thank you so much.And them cheering and hollering and eating foods and drinks up there and knowing hey I’m here this is real life.And knowing thank god we’re all here and having exicitement and having a real good time and knowing I really want to stay here forever.