4 ms·

I've often wondered why the first use of electric and autonomous driving isn't the courtesy busses at airports. They don't drive far, they don't drive fast, th

I've often wondered why the first use of electric and autonomous driving isn't the courtesy busses at airports. They don't drive far, they don't drive fast, they run the same route again and again. I'm not suggesting someone start with LAX, but if you look at San Diego, there is one pick-up point for all car rental locations. I'm not sure if hotels are the same.

bhhaskin 3y ago
As far as electric goes I would imagine that it's is likely due to the fact they run all the time. It's a lot faster to fill them up with fuel than charge them. You would have to keep a spear or two just to rotate while they charge. And even though they don't go far in a single trip, I can see it adding up quickly enough to be an issue. But I bet they start getting replaced soon as the older vehicles reach their end of service life. As for autonomous vehicles go you would think we would start with trains.
- audunw 3y ago
  In a place like an airport, since the infrastructure is completely fixed and used every day, it’d be quite easy to do a battery swapping solution. Would potentially be faster than filling gas.
  - landemva 3y ago
    > it’d be quite easy Is that speculation, or are you a bus mechanic?
- landemva 3y ago
  Municipal bus lines are keeping spare busses so some can always be charging. And the batteries need to be kept warm (for range) so busses are getting five gallon diesel tank and small diesel engine to warm the coolant which is piped around the batteries. On a fixed route where one organization owns the place, the sane solution is overhead electric cables.
  - 4death4 3y ago
    Overhead cables probably wouldn’t work well at an airport.
- someplaceguy 3y ago
  > As for autonomous vehicles go you would think we would start with trains. We did: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Island_Line https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Island_Line
- pedalpete 3y ago
  They run all the "time" but they don't travel far. Electric vehicles are less restricted by time than by distance.
m463 3y ago
Could even charge while loading and unloading. And thinking of the automated rides at disneyland, why can't the bus be automated with mostly just big green and red mushroom buttons.

bhhaskin 3y ago

As far as electric goes I would imagine that it's is likely due to the fact they run all the time. It's a lot faster to fill them up with fuel than charge them. You would have to keep a spear or two just to rotate while they charge. And even though they don't go far in a single trip, I can see it adding up quickly enough to be an issue. But I bet they start getting replaced soon as the older vehicles reach their end of service life. As for autonomous vehicles go you would think we would start with trains.

audunw 3y ago
In a place like an airport, since the infrastructure is completely fixed and used every day, it’d be quite easy to do a battery swapping solution. Would potentially be faster than filling gas.
- landemva 3y ago
  > it’d be quite easy Is that speculation, or are you a bus mechanic?
landemva 3y ago
Municipal bus lines are keeping spare busses so some can always be charging. And the batteries need to be kept warm (for range) so busses are getting five gallon diesel tank and small diesel engine to warm the coolant which is piped around the batteries. On a fixed route where one organization owns the place, the sane solution is overhead electric cables.
- 4death4 3y ago
  Overhead cables probably wouldn’t work well at an airport.
someplaceguy 3y ago
> As for autonomous vehicles go you would think we would start with trains. We did: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Island_Line https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Island_Line
pedalpete 3y ago
They run all the "time" but they don't travel far. Electric vehicles are less restricted by time than by distance.

m463 3y ago

Could even charge while loading and unloading. And thinking of the automated rides at disneyland, why can't the bus be automated with mostly just big green and red mushroom buttons.