Nod to the pod

The idea of a personal transport pod has been banded about for the best part of half a century and is a staple in science fiction's visions of the future - from Logan's Run to Minority Report no far-fetched city scape would be complete without a network of shiny, zippy, self driving pods. A bit like 'proper' space ships and holographic displays it is an idea we know so well from fiction that we can be forgiven for being a little miffed that they are yet to be in common use.

The idea has had a bit of a chequered past with opinion ranging from it being the ultimate solution to our transport woes to it being an unfeasible idea and a potential waste of public money.

However, due to recent advancements in technology and computing the concept is set to step into the light and last week we hosted a very popular Antenna Live event featuring two ‘pod-cars’ from the new fleet of electric driverless vehicles going into Heathrow.


The £25 million project is the work of Bristol based 'Advanced Transport Systems' (ATS) and is the first example of a personal rapid transit (PRT) being implemented as a public transport solution in the world and will provide transport from the airport car park over to Terminal 5 with more destination options to come later.

Engineers, designers and content rich video displays engaged around 9000 visitors over the three days and most seemed enthused by the benefits the system may offer though many remained cautious of having a computer control their journey instead of a driver. In a similar way I imagine wealthy Victorians, faced with the unkown, sheepishly stepped into the 'horseless carriage' or how I still feel about my microwave (I have my eye on you). Strange new technologies need to keep the people onside if they are to have a chance of taking off - just ask the cube shaped tomato.