Ken Gow

Personal Rapid Transit: Preempting the Need for Oil in Urban Transport

Let’s not panic about oil prices. "Cheap" oil may have reached a peak but new sources of expensive oil (including bio fuels, oil sands and Iraqi oil) will be on line in 5 or so years time dropping prices to $50 a barrel.

Having said that, global warming and fears of oil supply stability will drive the direction of new investments in housing and transportation. Remember though that the best technology doesn't necessarily win in the marketplace and intelligent highways, plug in hybrid drive and robotic control will give the automobile extra life.

I believe that PRT will grow from a niche market in new Asian cities to replace and improve most of the transit networks across the world. Of companies in the field, mention should be made of Magnemotion. They probably have the best maglev technology yet developed.