Folding Car Can Be Stacked, Stored, and Recharged
Posted Mar 10th 2008 1:12PM by Thomas Houston
Filed under: Car Tech, Green Tech
MIT researchers have created a new stackable car with the aim of unclogging congested streets and drastically cutting emissions. The “City Car,” as the researchers have dubbed the new vehicle is more maneuverable and easier to park than traditional cars, because each wheel is packed with a robotic steering system, electric motor and braking controls.
The City Car, half the size of a normal compact car, is more than just a small, electric two-seater, though. Foldable to roughly half its size, the car is designed to be stacked, stored and recharged at central locations throughout a city. Franco Vairani, the car’s designer, says, “you would just go and swipe your card and take the first one available and drive away.” Researchers see the City Car as part of a shared transit system within urban areas — it isn’t a replacement for full-size cars or public transportation.
As reported by Engadget a couple months ago, MIT is working with GM to build a prototype, and researchers hope to begin manufacturing the City Car within three to four years. We’re all for cutting emissions and traffic, but we’re also anxious to see if the golf-cart sized City Car fares well in crash tests!
Source: Switch, Engadget and The Boston Globe
What do you think about this idea? Will it work, especially when gas prices are sky rocketing? Will you use it if it is available?
I would use it in a heart beat. It sure beats paying $3.50 for a gallon of gas.
Yes..and if a 1 millimeter stone hit it then it would crush. It’s a health hazard and any idiot stupid enough to drive such an unsafe vehicle shouldn’t be allowed to drivel. Just think: What would happen if even a bicycle hit this “car” which is about as sturdy as a pepsi cola can!
Yet again…silly Europeans…compromise safety for a euro or whatever to save money. You should build cars for safety…and not these tin cans that are truly a hazard to human life!
The Japanese KNOW how to build cars….and far better than silly Europeans.
I must agree. Such an auto must be extremely unsafe. I would only buy a Honda or Toyota. The Japanese have a good record of building quality autos and this “thing” shown here on this blog is, as the previous person stated, a real danger to human life. But, Europeans must make themselves feel important in some manner. Other than complaining about the U.S. and England (which most Europeans don’t consider “real” Europeans), they don’t do much…but start a few world wars (WWI and WWII) and give birth to dictators such as Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Nicolae Ceausescu, Francisco Franco, and about a thousand years worth of other disgraces to humanity (such as concentration camps)…
but, they can mold a piece of plastic into a thing that appears to be an auto.
How truly sad.
Though the article states that this model was created at MIT…it will not be popular in the U.S. But, I’m glad it was built here! It shows, yet again, how technologically superior the U.S. is above Europe, Asia, and any nation on Earth.
though I don’t agree with everything the other commentators have stated, I think such a vehicle is too unsafe to be practicle…but I bet it will sell in Europe because human life has never been a great concern to them….history proves it…
but this is the wrong forum for such a topic.
Sounds like a death trap ato me
no thanks
It woul;d only work in areas where the speed limit was 20
A collision in this auto would have fireman picking up your remains with a shovel. An interesting thing to know is at just 30 miles per hour an automobile striking a solid object like a brick wall has more G force than a rocket taking off into outerspace!
The question is why are we paying 3.50 for a gallon of gasoline? I know one thing, Exxon Oil’s 1/4
quarter profits was an astronomical 40 billion dollars!
$3.50 a gallon gas is a stupidity tax for voting for Bush!
Pass it on.
Political Science 101 for the idiot that posted the last comment:
The President of the U.S.A. cannot spend a penny wihthout the approval of the U.S. Congress. It is the Congress (read the Constitution for once) that has the “power of the purse.”
So, for the idiots that blame our great President for gasoline prices….you should first blame your congressman (or woman). And as of today, the *Democratic* controlled Congress has a far LOWER approval rating than President Bush!
Idiots blame President Bush for Iraq…well, if you’ll read (hey…try it for a change..you can actually LEARN something by reading!) about how the U.S. government functions then you’ll know that if Congress wanted to end the war in Iraq, then they could do it by simply voting to stop funding for the war.
but the will not! and which party has a majority? The silly Democrats!
And, everyone blames Bush???? Shouldn’t the idiots against the war blame Congress, at least somewhat???
I’m amazed and so sad at how stupid my fellow Americans are about their own government. They obviously don’t, generally speaking, understand the most basic principles of how the U.S. government functions, and that it is Congress that allows the war to continue by voting for funds…
But…President Bush is a great man. Far greater than any person posting a stupid message here.
after all, Who will be remembered in the history books in two hundred years? The fools here on this silly blog? No! But, our president will be and he will be considered a great man.
And, there isn’t a thing any idiot here can do about it. Post what you wish…but, it’s so funny because McCain will be our next president and all the socialist loving Democrats will be blue in the face!
Hehehehe….so funny!
To the last moron GOPer. President Bush was adomant about starting a war with Iraq, in fact one Washington reporter who wrote a biography on George Jr. wrote “tragically The George Bush jr. unfortunately was in compettion with his father to accomplish what his father didnt by capturing Saddam Hussein”. Now he also wants to start a war with Iran. VP Cheney is the CEO and General Putin of the United States and Bush is his lap dog and errand boy! Just consider The CEO of the U.S. Dick Cheney who is now in the Middle East to try to lower oil prices hahaha!!! Thats like sending Jaws to negotiate with the other Great White sharks! Hmm an executive mind who knows the richest oil men in the country and the world, is sent to try and lower the prices on Mideast oil. Mr. Bush has lied repeatedly to The American people about the war in Iraq. In fact he didnt even provide his military with adequate vehicles with fortified armor. On the investigative news program 20/20 they showed countless mamed soldiers with brain damage, the ones that survived! Bush didnt U.S.
soldiers with the proper vehicles.
Our enlisted young men were driving the streets of Iraq with nothing more than a vehicle of transportation that couldnt possibly withstand all these roadside bombs they keep running into. The war costs 1 billion dollars a day! The fact that you consider the worst President in America’s history a great man nullifies anyone with an IQ to take you seriously or even read what you have to say.
We can certainly disagree on the issue of the war in Iraq and President Bush’s legacy. Yet, you completely sidestep one fact:
If the Congress of the U.S. wanted to end the war in Iraq, then all they have to do is stop funding it!
You can blame the president if you wish. But, doesn’t Congress (which is the ultimate power when it comes to spening America’s money) deserve to be blamed, too…if there is blame for the war?
Don’t avoid the central thrust of my statement. The Congress has a much lower approval rating than President Bush. Congress currently (hopefully only temporarily) has a Democratic majority.
Blaming the president and the VP and not blaming Congress is just silly.
In 1976 Congress refused to authorize funding for further military operations in Vietnam…and President Ford couldn’t do a thing about it. The same thing could be done right now, today, in Iraq if the Congress wanted to do it.
So, blaming the president and not Congress is wrong. That was my only point: that if you disagree with the war then you should be blaming your congressman and Senator, too.
And that’s just the way it is.
Yeah Edward Kennedy authorized Operation Shock and Awe! Its a Democratic conspiracy headed up by John Kennedy who wasnt really assassinated!
After you have thousands of American troops deployed because the Commander In Chiefs (Bush’s) Invasion of Iraq its kind of hard to cut funding for the war. Unless you want the troops to get massacred. I believe Congress would be under a litle bit pressure to stop funding the war eh?
First…Iraq was liberated and the world is far better off without Saddam Hussein. But, that’s not my point.
When I said Congress could easily end the war by cutting off funding, that does NOT mean that the troops would just be left their like sitting ducks. No! Of course they would be transitioned back home in an orderly fashion and a safe way. That’s what happened in ’76 when Congress stopped funding military operations in Vietnam. So, there is a clear precedent within living memory of a lot of people.
The war in Iraq was justified and you have those that support it and those who don’t. It’s OK to “agree to disagree.”
We both have a right to express our opinions. Yet again…my point is simply that Congress could do more if they wanted to stop the war.
In our system of government the president is not and cannot be a dictator. Checks-and-balances is real and it functions well. Congress kept President Roosevelt in check when he wanted to overhaul the Supreme Court via Executive Order.
Congress could do more but simply will not. But, when a person has their mind made up regarding politics, it’s hard to change it. The media does give a liberally biased view of events in Iraq.
The military morale is high. I know. I have a relative there. I served in the army during the first Gulf War…so I know something about morale in the military. You don’t hear this in the media that much and people’s opinion (no matter what party you’re affiliated with) is often TOO much influenced by the “box” in everyone’s living room called a “TV”…and it’s sad.
People should attempt to honestly consider both sides of a political issue, read about it in many different sources, and make an informed decision. But, most don’t. Most people (including Republicans even though I am one) simply react on emotion, not logic, and base their opinions more upon emotion.
So, Ben Franklin was right when he said that “Passions govern, and they never govern wisely.” By “passions” he meant emotions and by “govern” he meant making judgements.
I wish people of both political parties would be more logical. Anyway, there are other venues to discuss topics such as this.
I hope and believe McCain will win…probably serve one term and his V.P. will run in 2012. But, how about talking about chess?
I think we all can agree that it’s a great sport!
Cheers to all!
hehehehe…the silly Democratic Governor of NY got caught! Just like ol’ Bill Clinton….just can’t keep their pants on. It’s so funny!
One less silly Democrat to have to deal with!
Go McCain!!!! May the GOP forever remain in power! They will keep America great…and act unilaterally just as we should…and if anyone doesn’t like…what will you do about it?
hehehe…europeans, most of all, are so jealous of how great America is!
This is a stupid idea.
“Franco Vairani, the car’s designer, says, “you would just go and swipe your card and take the first one available and drive away.””
Imagine what it will be like after the previous user has smoked in it, or done God know what else in there. The other thing is what are you supposed to do with the stuff that was in the car?