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This is a long multi-segment bus that uses AI to at least steer the back end, if not the whole thing entirely.
Have you ever gotten on a bus, to find it's standing room only? That won't be a problem anymore, thanks to our long multi-segment bus-train.
The problem with such long multi-segment bus-trains
is that they're hard to manage and steer. That's why we need to introduce AI to provide steering for at least the back end, if not the whole thing. It may be possible to have a regular bus driver steering the vehicle from a front bus driver's seat, but the AI assistance will at a minimum be needed to steer the rest of the bus, especially the rear-most parts.
Instead of a dedicated bus driver role, that person could instead man some booth to sell people stuff. It's only under extraordinary & unusual circumstances that they'd leave their booth and get into the bus-driver's seat to steer the vehicle. That booth would be adjoining the bus driver's seat area, which would be just in front of it.
Long multi-segment bus-trains like this would be a less expensive alternative to subways or urban rail systems.
Perhaps it might be possible to deploy bus-trains for certain times of day, like rush hour, to replace the regular buses during those peak times where ridership would be very high. Then everyone can be assured of having a seat, and never having to stand.
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My friend who worked in AI development said "Somebody is going to use it for something critical without enough testing, and people are going to get hurt". |
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I, on the other hand, say "Why is this idea in other:general?" |
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Instead of AI, you could guide the wheels directly. Perhaps with some sort of ground-mounted rails? |
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Yeah but then you'd have to limit the amount of directional traffic on said rails to one direction only, whereas some folk like to go forwards in all directions at the same time. Why, 'FORWARD IN ALL DIRECTIONS!' is practically a corporate motto in some places where I worked... |
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There's an advantage in not having to lay down such costly fixed infrastructure like rails, the construction of which can also be quite disruptive to traffic in existing areas, even having to disrupt or dig up other infrastructure like underground cables, pipes, etc. And then there are all the attendant regulatory hassles, red tape, etc. |
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With our long bus-train, we can deploy it with relative ease into existing areas, to thus more quickly get our mass-transit service up and running, reaping the benefits sooner and more easily. We can more flexibly adjust our routes and change them over time as circumstances change. |
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We also have the option to test/pilot it out in an area, to see what the public response might be. If the response is poor, we can withdraw it from that area without having permanently altered the landscape or wasted money on fixed infrastructure with sunk costs. |
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"Why is this idea in other:general?" |
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I originally posted it in under Vehicles, but everything I post always gets transferred under "Other" - at least until someone gives it a better home. |
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Interesting - I just created a test idea to see how it works for me at this time, and the idea stays in the category selection I chose at the outset of the process initiated by clicking on "add" under "idea". |
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But having experienced the weird events that can occur due to computer/browser choices, I will delete the test idea and move along. |
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Someone more clever than I will be along shortly. |
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Let me know when they show up. |
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AI? Who needs AI for a bus-train? We have an entire corp of retired firemen who are more than capable of getting the ass end(s) of this monstrosity around a corner. Don't take this job away. |
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How long a bus-train? Light changes at car 4 of 7. No one yields. I would give it less than a day before violence erupts. Worse than Moscow, worse than San Juan, worse than Boston. Cranes will be required to untangle the jam. |
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"Where did that Mini end up, anyway?" |
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//costly infrastructure// |
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You mean like neverending road repairs? |
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Seems efficient. Get in one end, get out the other, and you're there. |
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Light rail is ENORMOUSLY more efficient once you get the infrastructure set up. Less so for light loads and many stops, but still efficient. |
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