China has long been in the shadow of the United States when it came to scientific advancements. However, it appears there is a sudden shift towards China as of late. Many people have been flocking to China to make use of China’s newfound resources in the fields of science and technology.
China has been documented as having success and promise in multiple technological programs that would place it at the forefront of global science in the near future. By implementing new technologies into its current infrastructure, China would improve life in terms of increased convenience and safety for all. Two such revolutionary projects are Super Maglev Trains and Self-Driving Cars.
Super Maglev Trains
If you’ve ever flown on an airplane you know it’s fast. The world’s most popular passenger aircrafts, Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320, normally cruise around 38,000 feet in the air at about 700-800 kilometers per hour (435-497 miles per hour). Now, imagine gliding inches from the ground at nearly 1000 kilometers per hour (621 miles per hour).
China’s leading engineers at Southwest Jiaotang University are gaining the support and resources necessary to create a fully functional prototype train by the end of 2018. The use of magnetized rails eliminates the wheel-to-rail friction of a conventional train. Additionally, a proposed tunnelled design would minimize air-resistance. This would allow the Super Maglev Trains to easily speed past any subsonic passenger airliner and possibly revive locomotives as a viable alternative to air-travel.
Self-Driving Cars
Google, Mercedes Benz, Tesla, and Uber are only a few of the global corporations who have had their own takes on the autonomous motor vehicle. These programs have had their successes and their failures. Trust in the driverless car was damaged in a March 2018 incident in which a pedestrian was killed after being struck by a self-driving Uber car in Arizona.
In the United States, around 8% to 12% of all cars on the road are fitted with systems that can monitor and adapt to the environment through radar, cameras, or ultrasonic sensors. In an advanced form of cruise control, Tesla Autopilot can maintain speed, distance, and lane in relation to the cars around you.
In China, less than 6% of cars are equipped with these features. But, China is making a strong push to catch up with the rest of the world. By developing even smarter software programs and applying autonomous vehicles in emergency response situations (ambulances and firetrucks), China will no doubt quickly pull even if not pass the rest of the world in utilization of self-driving cars.
Further improving transportation is particularly important for China as it currently has the world’s largest urban population. To prepare for its future, China is taking leaps and bounds today to ensure that their science and technology will guide them into an age of predominance.
Sources:
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/china-testing-super-maglev-trains-could-hit-1000km-h-24787
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/world/china-watch/technology/self-driving-car-technology/
I think these trains would be an amazing addition. I think this because they travel faster than a plane, but travel on ground. These travel so fast because of the technology they have with the magnets being able for the rails to not create friction with the actual train. I also like the idea of self driving cars. This will be a great innovation for people who are not able to drive or are very tired. But with this being said I think the manufacturers need to master the craft before they publish this again so no injuries occur.
Due to traffic being a major issue in China, these trains will be a great thing in China. With their fast speeds and high technology, China is now catching up in the scientific advancements area. Self driving cars will benefit many elders and tired people in China. I learned that cars in China are not equipped with nearly as many features as the cars we have here in the United States. To add on to the prediction that china is now catching up in the scientific advancements area, they can create smarter software programs.
Wow, I learned so much from reading this article! The Super Maglev Trains sounds like they actually came straight out of a science-fiction novel, and the thought of a train going at over 600 miles per hour is very frightening. I love that you included information about how fast Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320 usually fly at, which was great for me to use as a comparison. Also, not only do those self-driving cars sound terrifying, they also seem quite dangerous… Thanks for sharing Nicholas and I can’t wait to read more of your articles!
Great article! It’s great that China has been making so many technological advancements in the past few years. I was unaware that the newer forms of transportation existed until I read this article. I can’t believe that the super maglev trains can travel faster than airplanes. It’s great that the trains can one day be used to travel instead of airplanes. I like how China realizes that they’re behind the rest of the world in developing technology for self driving cars, so they’re trying to catch up. It’s important that China make its transportation systems as efficient as possible so that they can transport its large population efficiently.
This article is so interesting! It’s definitely true, China has been advancing more and more towards top of the line technology that could very soon affect our daily lives. The Super Maglev train kind of reminds of the Hyperloop, which is a huge project created by Elon Musk to help solve the same problem. In 2018, self-driving cars are becoming closer and closer to a system where there would almost have to be no driver input. I wonder who will get there first, a Chinese company or an American one?
Cool article! As you said, China may have been behind the US in the past, when it comes to technology, but they are surely catching up. With a population as big as that of China’s, a train like the Super Maglev could be super beneficial to the country. So far, self-driving cars sound pretty dangerous due to the incidents with Teslas and Uber this year. Hopefully, China will be able to come up with a safer solution. To support such a big nation, China will have to continue innovating and inventing. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them!
I personally am very interested in magnetic tech. I think that what is happening with bullet trains is amazing. I also believe that self driving cars will one day be a key to the future of travel and safety. The maglev is a unique piece of tech that runs on aerodynamics to speed at incredible speeds almost at the mach one. I think that once it is brought to the U.S. it might compete for the hyper loop due to the fact that would be easier to build and even though it is running at almost the speed of sound it will be the safer of the two. This being the hyper loop would be a closed capsule moving in a vacuum meaning there is lots of risk of danger if there was a breach in the hull.
Wow, I learned a lot in this interesting article. Technology is a crucial part of our daily lives, so it’s quite interesting to see that China is not only catching up, but also advancing ahead other countries in technology as well. I can see that these trains might be a possible alternative to taking an airplane and could be cheaper too. I’m sure we have plenty of self-driving cars, but we don’t have the trust of people yet, but soon self driving cars and fast trains may be the norm. Technology can be both a gift and a curse for humans, improving one’s life and convenience at the cost of anothers’ health,like the accident at Arizona.