By Michael Fahy www.thenational.ae
The company in charge of developing Yas Island’s leisure attractions has signed an agreement for a new transport system that could whisk people around the island in ‘floating’ pods.
Miral Leisure said that it has signed a deal with SkyTran — a company developed by Nasa — to develop a personal rapid transport system based on magnetic levitation (maglev).
SkyTran has developed a system of two-person, jet-like vehicles that transport people using maglev technology instead of wheels.
Miral has said that the system will be used to connect “current and future destinations” on Yas Island, and would eventually link to Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Mohamed Abdulla Al Zaabi, the chief executive of Miral, said: “While we continue to build world-class destinations and expand Yas Island, it is imperative that we are able to implement an urban transportation solution which is not only energy efficient but also adds another level of excitement to our visitors’ experiences. “With skyTran, we have a partner who not only shares our vision for innovation in Abu Dhabi, but are developing a service which will transform the Yas Island experience, and grow our appeal to millions of residents and tourists.”
SkyTran has said the computer-controlled system it has created will allow for easy expansion of the network at a later date, so that more tracks and additional vehicles can be added when needed. More info
