"Road Trains" Ready To Roll 318
clickclickdrone writes to mention that "road trains," a system linking vehicles together via wireless sensors, could soon be rolled out in Europe. The system is designed primarily for cutting fuel consumption, travel time, and congestion. "Funded under the European Commission's Framework 7 research plan, Sartre (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) is aimed at commuters in cars who travel long distances to work every day but will also look at ways to involve commercial vehicles. Tom Robinson, project co-ordinator at engineering firm Ricardo, said the idea was to use off-the-shelf components to make it possible for cars, buses and trucks to join the road train."
Funny coincidence (Score:5, Funny)
The plan is called "Sartre". My first reaction: What if there's No Exit?
Re:Fuel economy ? (Score:5, Funny)
Reminds me of a dream I once had (Score:5, Funny)
A generic couple were standing by the side of road, which was basically a piece of flat pavement cut into the side of a mountain. They were watching a garage inventor/scientist type explain his latest invention, a motorized luggage carrier. Sort of a motorcycle sidecar or luggage unit for people who didn't want to change the visual impact of their motorbike. It was an independent unit, had its own motor and fuel, and required only a slight modification to the motorcycle in the form of a radio transmitter. After that, it basically mimicked the motions of the "master" motorcycle.
Garage inventor gets on his bike, fires it up, and drives off. Sure enough, the other device (which I recall looking a lot like a large cooler on wheels) fired up by itself and followed. A few minutes later, the garage inventor loops back and drives by. Getting cocky, he waves at the couple. Unfortunately, he hits a rock and with only one hand on the handlebars, can't recover. He loses control, and drives off the side of the cliff. An unpleasant "crunch" is heard below.
Moments later, the motorized luggage holder comes along and dutifully throws itself off the cliff as well. A second "crunch" is heard.
The couple look down at the carnage and then leave.
Re:Tailgating to the max (Score:5, Funny)
I was driving ... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Fuel economy ? (Score:5, Funny)
Ok.. Made a fool of myself..
There seem to be overwhelming evidence that I was utterly wrong.. Ah well..
Since I can't mod myself -1 stupid, I'll just flog myself 10 times !
--Ivan
Theory versus implementation prediction (Score:3, Funny)
Theory: Sartre
Implementation: Kafka
Re:Ummm (use actual trains) (Score:4, Funny)
Naw, killing the young is both a better deterrent to overpopulation, and easier because the ignorant good-for-nothing whippersnappers won't even see it coming.
Re:Tailgating to the max (Score:5, Funny)
Here in Europe, we already use these trains during rush hour. They can reach lengths of many kilometers.
We call them traffic jams. And we don' need no stinkin' wireless link.
Re:road trains are stupid. (Score:5, Funny)
I mean, it'd basically be a packet-switched network, but with cars instead of pieces of data.
Hey! Here on /. we use car analogies to explain computer technology - not vice-versa!!
Re:Funny coincidence (Score:4, Funny)
Any resident of Chicago or Boston would agree with that, I'm sure.
Re:What hath the free market wrought? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Tailgating to the max (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Fuel economy ? (Score:4, Funny)
Wait! What? Did someone on the internet admit they were wrong?
What the hell is going on???
Re:I was driving ... (Score:2, Funny)