Getting from one place to another has been a goal for humans since the dawn of time. Sure, we’ve always had our own two feet to take us where we need to go, but legs can only get you so far. For millennia, the development of transportation moved at a relatively slow pace: The earliest known mention of a boat was in 4,000 B.C., and the wheel was invented in 3,500 B.C. (only for pottery, actually, with the chariot following 300 years after that). What we consider modern transportation didn’t come about until the invention of the steam locomotive in 1804, which was followed by the automobile in 1885. The Wright Brothers flew the first plane in 1903, Yuri Gagarin rode a rocket into space in 1961, and Neil Armstrong landed on the moon just eight years later. Over time, these forms of transportation have undergone incredible transformations. Today’s world is filled with inventions like self-driving cars and high-speed bullet trains. With technology continually developing—and at an exponential rate—the question, then, is, where will transportation be in 20 years? We asked designers across the industry about their predictions, and here’s what they had to say.
CARS
Automobiles have come a long way since their early days as a glorified chair on wheels propelled by a motor, not only in capabilities like speed but also in looks and safety. Over the past 20 years, cars have remained relatively the same aesthetically (though newer vehicles often have more streamlined bodies), with the real changes taking place inside with the introduction of everything from push-start buttons instead of keys to touch-screen consoles instead of analog ones. And furthermore, there are self-driving cars on the streets today. If we look forward 20 years, will cars be drastically different? Two experts weigh in.
Franz von Holzhausen , chief designer at Tesla
“Tesla is already spearheading the transition toward self-driving vehicles. I believe this will fundamentally shift the function of vehicles, their interaction with drivers, and the way we use transportation. This is providing designers and manufacturers a huge opportunity to rethink what cars look like and how we use them. In twenty years’ time, like all Tesla vehicles today, nearly all vehicles will be fully connected with the ability to improve over time through software updates, adding performance and functionality as they age. It would be easy to think that all cars could become homogeneous blobs, purely functional but devoid of character. I believe there will always be a desire for a vehicle to express a personality, have a sense of style, and continue to have an emotional connection with its owner or user. A vehicle’s design should deliver on those attributes, and always be functional, beautiful, and timeless.”
Eric Meyhofer , head of Uber Advanced Technologies Group
“At Uber, we envision a future where transportation means more than getting from point A to point B. We want the journey itself to be one that riders look forward to. With a focus on the interior experience, we’ll give riders the ability to relax, work, or be entertained. Self-driving vehicles have the potential to become a digital extension of who we are, syncing with the Uber app upon entry and crafting experiences unique to us. This design will unlock exciting solutions that will bring a new feel and experience to travel.
"Ultimately, it seems that the advances in automobiles will be less about aesthetics and more focused on technology. It’s worth noting that Uber has flying cars in the works (UberAir), which are set to go into testing in 2020, with the company aiming for a 2023 rollout in certain cities. The technology to move forward with such vehicles already exists, but the real challenge will be adapting infrastructure, codes, and laws to permit flying cars.”
AIRPLANES
Like cars, airplanes haven’t aesthetically changed very much in the last two decades. In fact, quite a few commercial aircraft flying today are 20 years old themselves. Interior upgrades, however, like the proliferation of private suites and the installation of virtual windows in first class, are the norm these days. (If you’re flying economy, you can expect updated in-flight entertainment systems, and that’s about it.) Plus, there have been developments in engineering that aren’t so visually obvious. Boeing, for instance, claims its 787 Dreamliner combats jet lag with more air pressure in the cabin as well as delivers better fuel efficiency thanks to its lightweight frame. Over the next 20 years, it’s likely that such technological advancements will continue. In order to peer deeper into aviation developments, we took a look at a different part of the industry: private jets. In creating smaller, custom aircraft, manufacturers like Gulfstream can push the limits of design and technology within a cabin.
Gulfstream’s Tray Crow , director of interior design, and Tim O’Hara , director of design innovation
“In the business jet of the future, we believe we will likely see an evolution to sensory controls, infused, intuitive technology, and a cabin environment like that of an oasis. Already, Gulfstream passengers can control many interior elements, including window shades and displays, with their smartphones. Twenty years from now, business-jet passengers will have a different relationship with their cabin. The cabin will detect eye movement and anticipate needs, such as revealing a hidden monitor on the bulkhead. A look at the lights might adjust them brighter or dimmer—the cabin will know what each passenger wants. It will be completely intuitive and will convey information by giving the passenger the ability to feel light and sound through feedback in material surfaces.
“The cabin could also be truly wireless, with hidden technology controlled by sensory perception, eliminating the need for switches and controls. As a result, more surfaces will become available and present a broader canvas for design and personalization.
“The Gulfstream cabin environment is already the healthiest in the industry, with 100 percent fresh air, a low cabin altitude, low noise levels, and signature Gulfstream panoramic windows that allow natural light to flood the cabin. As Gulfstream continues to develop new technologies, the cabin will become even healthier by gathering biological feedback from its occupants. After a Gulfstream flight, you could arrive feeling even better than when you departed.”
TRAINS
Over the last century and change, trains have evolved from steam-powered iron horses to the high-speed bullet trains that criss-cross Asia and Europe. While there is certainly room for expansion of high-speed rail networks (we’re looking at you, North America), the future of rail travel might not be on rails at all—it might be in vacuums. In 2012, Elon Musk first discussed his concept of the “hyperloop,” a train-like mode of transportation that zooms passengers and freight in pods through vacuums in tubes at hundreds of miles per hour, similar to pneumatic systems that have shuttled paperwork around buildings since the Victorian era. In the past few years, dozens of companies around the world have dedicated themselves to developing hyperloop technology. We spoke to José Eduardo Sánchez of Hardt, a Netherlands company that won Musk’s hyperloop design competition, about his thoughts.
José Eduardo Sánchez , head of design at Hardt
“What I expect is that, at least in some parts of the world, mobility will be completely seamless and sustainable. Technology is evolving at a tremendous rate, and we’ve learned a lot about what passengers want and need. I expect that by 2039 we have achieved a smart combination of both. The transportation infrastructure will then become an extension of peoples’ habitual spaces rather than an interruption of daily routines.
“Hyperloop is key in this narrative because it’s ground-based, so it can easily connect to people and to other vehicles, as well as to the built environment. Plus, it enables a combination of speed, convenience, and sustainability that was not possible before. With a seamless network of hyperloop and other autonomous ground-based vehicles, we will be able to continue with our daily activities throughout the trip with little to no interruption—and without the need to worry about carbon dioxide.
”Traveling will be so easy, and the distances will have shrunken so much to the point at which going to another country to visit your family will take but a few minutes, and you will not even notice you’re traveling at 1,000 kilometers per hour. Then we will connect not only with others but also to the entire world in a way unbeknown to us so far.”
BOATS
Being one of the oldest forms of transportation, boats have had plenty of time to progress throughout their existence. One of today’s most forward-thinking form of sailing is yachting, as private owners are able to pour their own resources into highly customized vessels that show off not only the latest technological advancements but also beautiful design. In the perfect blend of pleasure and play, yachts best embody the future envisioned by many transportation designers, where traveling isn’t a burden but an enjoyable lifestyle. While yachts might have reached this nirvana well before the other forms of transportation, there’s still innovation ahead—not just in technology, but also design. Dickie Bannenberg of Bannenberg & Rowell Design offers his thoughts on the future of yachts.
Dickie Bannenberg , company leader of Bannenberg & Rowell Design
“July 2039. 0600. Anchored off the coast of Alaska. The 122-meter explorer yacht moves off under hybrid propulsion. Her crew washes down the synthetic teak decks, saving water for the hydroponic gardens that keep the yacht self-sufficient in produce.
“Guests watch the passing coastline through mullion-free glass curtain walling, the remote and self-driving tenders sending back live video feeds and ambient environmental data. The guests move around the yacht’s open-plan interior, finished in sustainable and fast-growing timbers, amused and incredulous to learn that only 20 years before, it was important to have dining saloons and entrance lobbies.
“The yacht stops to offer humanitarian support to cyclone-affected inhabitants, delivering fresh water, power, and medical supplies. The captain oversees the mission from the wheelhouse, radically positioned on the foredeck.”
A rendering of what a Bannenberg & Rowell Design yacht might look like in 2039.
TRANSPORTATION HUBS
With the changes in vehicles themselves comes changes in the infrastructure that must coexist with them. The future of transportation has a common goal—to increase connectivity—which means transportation hubs will become even more common parts of daily life than they are today. Moving away from a purely utilitarian purpose, these hubs will be multifunctional for living, working, playing, and traveling, of course. Here, Viviana Muscettola of Zaha Hadid Architects explains.
Viviana Muscettola , associate director at Zaha Hadid Architects
“Unlike most contemporary airports and train stations, future transportation hubs are being designed for so much more than transport. They will be vibrant, fully integrated civic, financial, cultural, and residential centers that optimize their superb connectivity and establish a new paradigm for ecologically sustainable development.
“We are already designing transportation hubs of the future for cities in Asia and Europe that integrate many aspects of contemporary living. These hubs include offices; shopping and dining; sport, entertainment, and leisure facilities; and as public parks and open spaces that apply advancements in urban farming technology for on-site farmers’ markets that offer fresh, locally grown produce for passengers, staff, residents, and visitors.
“Innovations in aerospace and rail technologies are significantly reducing the noise and emissions of future aircraft and trains. This will enable residents to live in homes adjacent to transportation centers and access all their civic amenities within a few minutes’ walk or bike ride.
“Our designs for transport hubs of the future are as compact as possible. Passengers will no longer be required to walk vast distances between gates—or board interterminal shuttles—to connect with their flight or train. It’s much more effective to design a terminal that enables everyone to simply walk short distances to everywhere they need to go!”
