Upsala Nya Tidning (Upsala New Newspaper)
Testbana för spårbilar tar form
One of the world's main suppliers to the auto industry is behind the test track in Uppsala. -Rolf Hamilton
Test track for trackcars taking form
A track for testing driverless trackcars has started and will expand upon land for a testing area in south Uppsala. In spring the first vehicles will roll out on the tracks.
Despite that the track sits on a soccer field it is becoming the main test construction in the world of its kind.
"The area will contain track, a station and an exhibition room plus safeties - and control system as is necessary for operation," said Carsten Carlsson of the company Vectus which is backing testing in Uppsala.
Vectus is a subsidiary of the South Korean steel giant Posco, one of the world's main suppliers to among others the auto industry.
At the same time as activity in Uppsala is going on, testing of wheels, communications and drive system on other way in Europe and in South Korea. The company has invested about $14 million on proving work in Uppsala reckoned to run until 2010.
Construction at the old ballfield by Dag Hammarskjölds Way is partly behind hedges. Inside a first part of the track has been assembled, resting on poles 2.5 meters in the air. The completed work that is coming will run around the field for about about 400 meters. On one part the track descends to ground level, for that know drive vehicles in up and down hill.
Test operation is expected to start in spring, with only an empty vehicle, and later with people on board, then gradually in several vehicles. Not just technology and safety are tested but also travel experience. Top speed will be about 45 kilometers per hour.
Test in snow and cold
"Climate is a important explanation for the track's placement in Uppsala. Testing data from operating in snow and cold is one central element," said Carsten Carlsson.
This is not the first try at a test track for driverless track transit in Uppsala. Ten years ago vehicles were tested in the city's Ulleråkers area. Experiments ran into several setbacks and track was removed after a few years.
Factbox:
PRT (Personal Rapid Transit) is the international name for driverless track cars. Vehicles travel on a track up in the air. Vehicles seat groups of 3-4 and are guided automatically to their destination. Driverless vehicles have been tested since the 1960s but have still not made a big impact, although individual tracks are in operation. Environmental gains and efficiency are some of the advantage as raised later, while skeptics it will lead to higher investment cost and worse city aesthetics.
Ola Lindqvist
