Masdar City PRT Personal Rapid Transit

Masdar City is a zero carbon city being built near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The plan for this city is to get rid of personal cars and use a PRT system located under the sidewalks for all transportation needs. Even cargo and deliveries are to be loaded on these pod cars to make it to the restaurant or facility.
Right now Masdar City is still in its infancy so there are only two stations of this PRT system making it more like a horizontal elevator, but hopefully in the future there will be many stations located throughout the city with passengers making quick, non-stop journeys to any of these stations.

[@tcarnal]

Great to see it's still function like it was intended i was part of the Team that mounted the wireless system that controls the cars Seeing it in your video gives me joy

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Thijs Carnal yes it is still working under Massage City. Unfortunately it's not up to its true potential with a grid system with many stations but it still is ticking away!

[@tcarnal]

When we build it it was intended to run within the whole of Masdar City but unfortunately it hasn't yet But the plan sure was to expand it Al those test drives with an GolfCar over the course for messing the signal strength when it was still being build where awesome. working with the Boom and Scissor lifts getting the Cable up there sure was hard work but well worth it.

[@NaeemKhan-eu9gj]

I, )

[@nithymorgan]

ddgdt. D d f ge hvrhcrdhe

[@johnwang9914]

It's a shame that the system was reduced to just a couple of stations. They say that the costs of the undercroft to separate the guideways from pedestrian traffic was the reasons why the program was cut but the whole Masdar plan was not to dig into the ground but to elevate the landscaped pedestrian exterior above ground level both for cooler winds and to avoid the costs of tunneling the automated guideways.

[@johnwang9914]

@Ramachandran Thangavel Both the Heathrow and Masdar systems are designed to similar operational speeds.

[@AsifMuhammad]

I am working here at Masdar city now. This cool tech is almost desert and nobody is using it.

[@iamblue8272]

it look like it would take only 5 minutes or so to do by foot

[@Milanesium]

Looks like you can't walk, because the tiny autonomous car are in the way. ;)

[@InsaneNuYawka]

What a waste of resources! How did the locals these justify this ?!

[@jh_monty8888]

@@InsaneNuYawka they don't look to expensive, however these things cannot work anywhere else due to demand, Dubai is just filthy rich

[@สุวิชาคําแสง]

@@Milanesium เเำ

[@thesteelrodent1796]

fun fact: youtube has an option to change the playback speed. So instead of speeding up the footage you can leave it playing in real time and anyone who's too impatient to watch the full thing can choose to speed it up or skip ahead. This saves you a lot of work and makes your videos more relevant

[@kishascape]

Indeed. Stupid pansies.

[@transitdude3352]

I would ride this just for the heck of it! Nice video

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Hey, I traveled to Abu Dhabi from Dubai just for a day to ride the PRT system here.

[@michaelbilgen2976]

Who wouldn't?

[@tinabauermeister4358]

Hzzu

[@aaronroffman3987]

Forget Heathrow, the Morgantown system actually has several stations. It's also capable of operation outdoors without a covered track, and it was built decades prior

[@sitdowndogbreath]

It's closed indefinitely because the coronavirus situation

[@kishascape]

The Morgantown one actually sucks more and the cars have noisy engines, so shut yo autistic self up. Nerd.

[@nuclearwinter391]

Yes. This PRT project makes total sense an will be a stellar success. Just like Masdar City. LOL

[@JunHamamura]

imagine what would happen when the demand increases... super cool concept though.

[@TVegaC]

yeah, that's what I thought. Since is new I guess it works but jesus that is not a long term solution at all!

[@roselyalmeida3598]

@@TVegaC A

[@appalachianenthusiast9499]

@@TVegaC The Morgantown PRT built in the 1970s is built to handle 4,500 per hour. I'm sure this system can handle a similar capacity.

[@alfianodamanik]

I had a dream that I had that in my basement and it goes all the way to my school and nearby mall. That way I dont have to wake up early and face the traffic

[@elliotfallows6814]

Alfiano Damanik Bro... That would be sick

[@cactus00001]

Read up on 'SkyTran'. Back in the 90s, we allegedly didn't have "enough funds" to even mock-up the system in Southern Arizona, so NASA hopped in and built-out the entire SkyTran system - in Israel. Go figure.?! *

[@cactus00001]

And you could own your own SkyTran Pod and "spur" segment leading into your house.... *

[@kathrynelrod5570]

Allow me to introduce to you...the Train!

[@cityuser]

@@kathrynelrod5570 From my basement?!?! Wow, technology is truly incredible!

[@YariQue87]

“Morning Mr. Freeman. Looks like you’re running late...”

[@Chrnan6710]

1:28 oh, that isn't very fast 3 seconds later: *_NYOOOOOM_*

[@reapanomin899]

The video was sped up at that point.

[@nophajj1749]

Im dying ahahah

[@roxannewolf3458]

@@reapanomin899 this is a joke

[@ShampootheSpider2019]

It slowed down to reduce crashes and accidents.but when taking turns on the track.

[@artnc4139]

Shared scooter or bicycles would be a much more effective solution. Once you create many destinations, things get orders of magnitude more complicated - dealing with paths that cross each other, balancing car availability based on unpredictable demands, additional charging needs for longer routes, etc

[@INDIEMUSICGUY1966]

And how do wheel chair disabled passengers use scooters and the like

[@kishascape]

Scooters are stupid and so are you.

[@rainze3088]

1:30 whoever thinks it's fast plz see the bottom right corner it's says '4x'

[@schildianimationenx8243]

This should exist in more parts of the world.🐢

[@williamerazo3921]

Will Elon is doing a shitty version of these

[@oskarsrode2167]

Feels like an electric gokart. And I could never imagine being a passenger with such a rapid acceleration and deceleration.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

The video is sped up! They don't accelerate too quickly.

[@oskarsrode2167]

@@Luke_StarkenburgOk, then they have a very low top speed. :D

[@n8nawesome]

I want one in the US, so I can go anywhere I go when I start a family, including the OKC Zoo, Science Museum Oklahoma, Frontier City, Sam Noble Museum, White Water Bay, and more!

[@Ingestedbanjo]

This looks really cool though. Seems like it'd pull some heavy lateral g's on the turns, even though it slows down a little bit it looks like it takes the turns like a wild mouse coaster.

[@qwertyreejej9584]

The video was sped up x4

[@Ingestedbanjo]

@@qwertyreejej9584 Oh... then, it sucks. Playing it at 0.25x speed looks more like PSPT (Personal Snails-Pace Transit).

[@Geno2733]

It's easy to install systems like this when they're located in a place where they get sunlight THREE HUNDRED DAYS a year.

[@katekudirka4823]

Yes. It is.

[@ismailniyaz5167]

And yet they STILL ended up throwing away a ton of money to build an unnecessary and potentially dangerous nuclear power plant.

[@4evertrue830]

I think Hollywood should come up with a Sci fy movie for this. It will be so cool. 😎

[@TeddyBarefoot]

This looks like something out of a pokemon game.

[@elizabethcoen]

I agree with you! Nintendo should have put this in Pokemon X and Pokemon Y or Pokemon Black and Pokemon White.

[@dtnguyen99]

Heathrow pod, is that you?

[@alexleo172]

Heathrow Pod but in a Arabic Instuite

[@zamolxis7414]

No, they are Al-Heathrow Al-Pod

[@app8790]

These are a lot faster

[@roxannewolf3458]

@@app8790 like 300 times faster!

[@app8790]

@@roxannewolf3458 Yes.

[@TheYanotin]

город-сказка, город-мечта! попадая в его сети, пропадаешь навсегда.

[@abemcg3803]

England: ours go slow for safety measures Dhabi: We go Speed Racer style! Edit: I just realized the video was sped up...bummer

[@mountainous_port]

Very beautiful idea. My full hopes and appreciation for this concept. Dubai, this is what you should be making, projects with good human impact, not those none sense tall skyscrapers they dont have any meaning.

[@savioshajahan4661]

This is Abu dhabi

[@timothyrichey12]

I fell out of my bed when they suddenly increase the speed

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Haha, lol

[@bushyconn]

Pretty good. But significantly noisier than the system at Heathrow.

[@marcusdamberger]

Indeed I thought it sounds rather noisy from the passenger compartment. Unless the mic on the camera is more sensitive than actually experiencing it.

[@Gus2828]

Got dizzy just by watching it turn corners. I would love still to go to work every day on something like this.

[@katekudirka4823]

I love this idea. How many actual residents are there now in Masdar City? How many businesses?

[@seekthetruth4218]

Kate Kudirka it costs 24 billion dolars 😂

[@majorprofit]

I love it, the technic! Here in sweden there would have been seatbelts in them.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Too funny! I think pod car systems will not be built in the future. Instead, driverless cars will be the future.

[@12gpm91]

@@Luke_Starkenburg, these are driverless cars - except they take up much less land - a motorway lane is 3 metres wide.

[@emvvehicles_8]

Luke Starkenburg honestly they would have Pods maybe for schoolage children so parents can go straight to work.

[@rhodesianwojak2095]

@@Luke_Starkenburg either way you have gridlock

[@kishascape]

@@Luke_Starkenburg you’re the stupidest most out of touch fad loser.

[@IanMcCracken-os4km]

It would be so cool indeed!

[@donnahanscom6300]

Oh, It's Looks Like a Fun Ride!

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

These trains are like an amusement park ride!

[@buddyclem7328]

Great video! Much different than the bumpy, noisy PRT system in Morgantown, WV, USA. But you have to love the WVU PRT, because they were the first in the world.

[@KevinFields777]

But Morgantown is still running, and this system is not, replaced with something else. LOL

[@ram64man]

I have used the Heathrow version on a number of occasions, but I feel Only a real test will come when they decide to roll this out as a bus line replacement in zero emission zones, the prt they are using in the driverless zones is just limited to 20mph and is mainly on pedestrian zones, I feel they need to double the speed make it mini bus sized must use dedicated lanes such as bus lanes but also be transitional to conventional roads if required etc and also have multi pickup zones that people can uber or man request on demand that way they can replace scheduled bus lines with low demand or supplement existing lines ideally I hope an ev bus sized prt comes online soon for an Oxford street replacement service

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Yes, I think future PRT systems will use regular streets instead of having its own private guideway.

[@khymaaren]

@@Luke_Starkenburg Who knows? These systems may be the early prototypes for the future of general transportation.

[@chriss4357]

We're looking at the future too much through a mostly 20th century life. The 21st century: people can work from home or wherever they want; cars more driving themselves; Uber, Lfyt rides maybe becoming sky-rides, too; revolutionary Hyperloop possibility; etc.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Chris S I agree with you. PRT use to be a great idea, but with self driving cars, I don’t see PRT working except in very specific circumstances.

[@cactus00001]

"OPEN THE POD BAY DOORS, HAL"...

[@sitdowndogbreath]

Sir I don't like the way you use quotation marks at! Please dial it down I will not authorize

[@chief1b]

This is cool if you just inside one large building

[@arizonaelevatorsandmore2778]

Awesome video sir, cool pod cars, how do you request the pod car?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

You walk up to the bay and use the touch screen. You can see which bays have a waiting pod and which ones do not.

[@arizonaelevatorsandmore2778]

@@Luke_Starkenburg I bet they are going to use a mobile device app at some point as the demand increases.

[@MrSquareart]

Sttill have not expanded the PRT system there. Not sure if they're going to Expand the PRT system!

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I know, I don't know how much they will expand the city. No expanded city = no expanded PRT system!

[@evangouldtransit]

"You left your blinker on" *beeeeeep beeeeeep beeeeeep beeeeeep* ZOOOOMM

[@Lion-e-b1w]

I prefer walking over this.

[@sebys1414]

Who else though it was going way fast? I would ride it for the heck of it 😆

[@khymaaren]

Did you notice the "4x" in the corner?

[@chris-hayes]

@@khymaaren I didn't notice that :/

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Very nice video. Thanks for posting and have a nice day too.

[@KevinFields777]

In 2018 the PRT was replaced with a fleet of NAVYA Autonom self-driving shuttle cars.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Interesting. I wonder what it looks like and how it operates.

[@pranavas6372]

@Luke Starkenburg can I use this for my project, I will credit you!

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

What type of project? You have my permission if you credit me. Thanks!

[@pranavas6372]

@@Luke_Starkenburg it is my integrated project!

[@Wild-Dad]

Interesting concept!

[@SingaporeanMixel2K8]

Whoa That Looks Like A Parking Pod! From Heathrow Or Masdar City!

[@eurasianst8426]

I have one question do you pay for conditioners

[@zochbuppet448]

Welcome to Logan's Run.

[@cheese-je9xs]

Pretty soon regular cars are going to be able to do this without any further infrastructure like the strips in the ground and they will be able to bring you straight to the front door, not to a station where you have to further walk to get to where you want to go.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Nathan Curet I love the concept of PRT but I completely agree with you that soon robot taxis will take you from your house to where you want to be without the use of dedicated infrastructure. I’m sad in a way that we probably won’t ever see a large or medium sized PRT system implemented anywhere but in a way, all of our regular streets and highways could be a PRT network in the future using automated Uber or something similar.

[@cheese-je9xs]

The PRT system is very cool and is an excellent solution in a world without autonomous cars....but that's soon to not be the world anymore. As pointed out, autonomous cars will soon be able to pick you up at any door and take you to any door very quickly, very safely, and very cheep. The PRT system on the other hand has some disadvantages in comparison, very costly construction in addition to being almost impossible to implement in a city that isn't built from the ground up to facilitate it, it must be built underground which is not possible in many places, you must walk up and down levels to get to it, it is not door to door, anyone commuting in or out of its very limited service range is going to have to switch modes of transportation right in the middle, when usage really picks up you are going to have major capacity issues, and requires extensive infrastructure. So yes an autonomous uber would be better in almost every way. Even for privately owned cars, if they are autonomous they could drop you off at your location and then go find the cheapest available parking spot on its own regardless of how far away it is.

[@michunel7022]

pretty soon can be sure in 200 years

[@Xpninjadan]

This is incredible. Is it free?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

It is free to use! Maybe if the city expands and the PRT system is expanded as well they might begin charging for it, but for the time being it is free!

[@Xpninjadan]

Luke Starkenburg Awesome. Technology is so cool.

[@247Munch]

Luke Starkenburg nice pods there, there's pod in Heathrow airport, terminal 5

[@girlieloja4986]

Xpninjadan iiiii

[@MatsOrmhed]

This is really cool.

[@adrians_reality]

They should have made the headlights and taillights reversible so it never needs to "back up"

[@JONOVID]

Heathrow UK pods have more room for luggage , baby Prams, strollers esc.

[@400elochess]

That was fast

[@GretchenDawntreader]

why does it have turn signals. Literally no one is making reaction decisions based on seeing the pod's turn signals.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Interesting thought! Who knows!

[@Fizzbomb123]

Arabs, don't you just love them!

[@HassanalBolkiahSoyjak]

@The V0iD Mad? Jealous?

[@baul104]

This feels like a Walt Disney Epcot Center ride--kinda like Fast Track 2.0...

[@angel-ny8qu]

Masdar very beatifull city

[@Thomas1980]

great Video!!

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Thanks!

[@lowinglok2002]

It looks great. It seems this only apply to the rich people who can affrot build a city to fit it.

[@timredfern1282]

Brilliant 🇬🇧

[@Duke_Saffron]

I would love to see this in Japan

[@benstoever]

Besides being driver-less and shared it's still a car carrying only one or few people at a time, sometimes even none. How should that help to reduce energy needs?

[@alpath4572]

INDONESIA Must Buy This Transportation Hopefully it's also sold to Indonesia

[@clementouadimountou9300]

Est-ce donc ainsi que les revenus du pétrole émirati sont utilisés ?

[@NotAashPlayz]

I went here a million times

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I really wish that Masdar City got expanded and built what was in the original plan. I would love to see a full network of these pod cars serving 20 stations around the town.

[@NotAashPlayz]

It was my father’s office

[@NotAashPlayz]

@@Luke_Starkenburg masdar city has eco villas and stuffs like that but unfortunately this vehicle is not on operation but instead of that shuttle bus service is going on in masdar city in future shuttle bus service will spread in Abu Dhabi capital of UAE

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

@@NotAashPlayz Thats too bad.

[@TheBharatNationalist]

Btw that's me commenting on a different account

[@leoaksil4085]

That's it !! That was like 100m or so !! Why?! It's a cool concept but it should longer and useful.

[@KD10Conqueror]

So, a train?

[@UncleFeedle]

Hello, I'm Johnnycab. Where can I take you tonight?

[@fakiirification]

Getting some serious Minority Report vibes from this. Does it also deliver you to the police station if it biometricly scans you and determines that you are guilty of pre-crime?

[@haweater1555]

Why does it even have headlights? It didn't use them in the dark passageway,, because they are not even needed?

[@cookietongs]

Reminds me of the pods at heathrow

[@SleepTrain456]

This system reminds you of the London Heathrow Airport pods for a good reason. The Masdar system functions on the same concept: small magnetically guided "pods" operating on demand. The pods on the two systems, known as personal rapid transit, even look similar!

[@kikker7978]

That thing goes so fast I'd be shittin my pants in there

[@learningwithandres4906]

How much it cost a ride.?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

The pod cars at Masdar City are free to use.

[@ryalves5840]

My God...Very Good👏👏👏

[@ridzwanwahid1763]

This is the future.Awesome ! Where is this place?

[@4125730]

Masdar!!

[@ridzwanwahid1763]

RANJAN NAYAK Thank u.I googled and it is in Abu Dhabi.

[@guessilljustdie5887]

Ridzwan Wahid boi it’s in the description

[@joshuahawkes7218]

They said the same thing 30 years ago when they installed a similar system in Morgantown USA, and the same when they installed a similar system at Heathrow in 2015.

[@boboutelama5748]

I want exactly this in the next Alien Isolation !

[@Eyob797]

Nice ride.

[@99certain45]

It makes me laugh how people think that these PRT cars are going to be an efficient, cost effective way of providing transportation. Although automobiles are pretty polluting, it seems like any effective transportation solution would involve bigger cars, and less dynamic routes.

[@SparenofIria]

Geez... how was the speed level when you were inside the car? The acceleration looked like that of a slower roller coaster when I was watching, and going onto switches at high speed looked stomach-churning.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

+SparenofIria around the 4 minute mark in the video, It shows parts of the ride in real time so you can get a sense on the speed.

[@lorenalopezmarmol7900]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Tamizhpanimanai]

what if anyone cross these tracks?can avoid accidents?upto what extent?

[@JTC2227]

This seems Cool

[@dicasuteis955]

Amazing! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Sudipta-Roy-1990]

Does it have magnetic tracks?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Sudipto Roy the pod cars use regular wheels and electric motors to power it. “The pods are controlled by an advanced navigation system that uses magnets embedded in the roadway while onboard sensors detect any obstacles in their path. They are powered by a battery that recharges while the pods are standing in the stations between trips.” www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thenational.ae/business/masdar-city-s-driverless-cars-system-celebrates-milestone-1.203723

[@MustaphaGoriade-dd7mc]

Very video❤❤❤

[@ayshaabdhusseinmawlaalhash4417]

no pollution.. no.carbon. effective time....nd spaces.♡

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

I wish PRT systems would have taken off but I believe that self driving cars (hopefully all electric) will replace the need for PRT systems. It makes me sad because I really was behind this technology, but the future doesn't always happen the way I want it too.

[@qjtvaddict]

Luke Starkenburg to be honest the only functioning PRT system that has taken off or that is an operation as actual system is in some rural suburb area in the US Morgantown West Virginia

[@TheVRSofa]

That was pretty fast actually

[@deanl4575]

VR Sofa Did you not notice the 4x in the corner?

[@tanazassefi6797]

How many stations?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Only 2. It was supposed to be a much larger system. :-(

[@ΆνναΒολπάνου]

is it for free?

[@InFltSvc]

This is want Trump was talking about how other countries are light years ahead of the US. We are a rich nation and we should have this sort of thing

[@furyc4144]

* yeah but the UAE is much smaller in size and population so it’s much easier to manage everything

[@Bfoots1952]

These Pod Transit Systems would certainly clear up our roads--much needed in the U.S. We love our cars so much, but an alternative way to move people will help clean our air and the clear the bottleneck of traffic. Why are we light years behind Europe and some middle eastern countries?

[@joshuahawkes7218]

you do, Morgantown was the first city to have such a system kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5K2koqcrJVqidk

[@tranbinhboong9242]

masdar so beautiful

[@ElevatingSETexas]

It sounds like a RC Car

[@SamSitar]

how do i tell it where to go?

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Sam Sitar you use the touchscreen outside of the car where it parks. You use the touchscreen and touch the station you want to go to and then the doors open.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

Actually, for this system, there are only two stations, so all pod cars go the same places. So all you do is press the Door Open and Door Close buttons and press Go.

[@SamSitar]

@@Luke_Starkenburg thanks for explaining. it looks nice. they should extend it.

[@Luke_Starkenburg]

@@SamSitar I agree! I would love to see a PRT system with at least 10 stations and many passengers to see how it keeps up. Unfortunately, the Masdar City project hasn't been expanded past the original project. You can walk from one end of the "city" to the other in 5 minutes. It's not worth expanding the PRT Pod system until the city grows.

[@cherubin7th]

Looks like cars, but worse and less flexible.

[@captainelliot8767]

cherubin7th and a lot fuckin cheaper

[@eier3252]

Train and car, the worst of both worlds

[@sullybully]

@@eier3252 I can't agree with you. It at least allows you not to walk miles, so be glad it exists.

[@giovanniguitti8319]

Excuse me i want to know if i can use this video for a scuole project!?? Is this possible

[@lukestarkenburg7959]

Giovanni Guitti yes u can use it it's free!!

[@buddyclem7328]

Since it's for your education, you might want to know that it's spelled "school". Good luck on your project.

[@teeeeeveeeee314]

I still like Morgantown's PRT MUCH BETTER!!!

[@theodorbutters141]

A fleet of smaller buses and vans like a Mitsubishi Fuso would be much better at carrying large ammounts of people.

[@bastek.]

Very good!!!

[@varth3287]

中東ならオイルマネーでなんとかなりそうですが、日本だと、少なくとも単年度黒字を計上しないと見捨てられそうですな～ 国内で走る姿を見たいけど、残念です。

[@markorollo.]

Are these trackless? like my personal favourite, the Ultra PRT