Last year, while looking at Toyota's I-Unit and I-Foot projects at the World Expo 2005 at Aichi, Japan, I was taken in by another type of system that spurred the imagination. The system was Toyota's IMTS (Intelligent Multimode Transit System), by which on main roads, the buses run in automated platoons on dedicated roads similar to carriages on a train, while on ordinary roads, each bus is manually driven. Being heavily reliant on public transport myself, this system, combined with the concept FCHV (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle) buses makes a cheap, easy-to-use, easy-to-operate and environmentally friendly system that has instant appeal.

Toyota also went further, with the 'Crayon' Shared-Use Commuter System - I presume the acronym SUCS wasn't really appropriate? - this transit system is based on the shared use of small electric vehicles, called EV Commuters, which are available in localised 'zones' in the scope of an operation control centre. The basis of the system is that you drive from home to a park-and-ride system, get on a IMTS/FCHV bus, get off at a park-and-ride near shops or offices, get a EV Communter and trundle around town merrily.

Unfortunately, the last leg of the journey wouldn't help a person like me, who does not drive. However, maybe Honda has an answer?

Car drives itself

A car that drives itself has been launched.

The Honda Accord ADAS automatically speeds up and slows down - and even steers around bends.

All the driver has to do is gently nudge the wheel every 10 seconds reports the Mirror.

Honda spokesman Graham Avent said: "The Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) doesn't replace the driver - you can't climb into the back seat for a nap! But it keeps you in your lane and at a safe speed on motorways.

"It makes long journeys much less tiring and will prevent some accidents by reducing driver error. It's the biggest step forward in safety since the airbag."

ADAS only works on motorways and dual carriageways, but Honda bosses hope that future models could drive on any road.

The car works by using two main components. The Adaptive Cruise Control is a radar sensor behind the Honda badge in the front of the car that scans ahead for other vehicles. It then speeds up or slows down accordingly. It also has a Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS) - a camera next to the rear-view mirror which watches the white lines and controls steering.

The £25,880 Accord goes on sale in March with all Hondas due to have ADAS by 2016.

Vauxhall hopes to have a self-drive Vectra on the road by 2011.

(Source : Ananova, 12 January 2006)

Yes, it's not designed to replace the driver, but with effective GPS mapping throughout road networks, the placement of only EV Commuters in areas, and a license to put up forms of relays and controls at set distances for 'back-up' purposes, how long until even the little areas of travel are managed.

You see the flaws of a train system is in the required maintenance, whereas buses are stuck to road networks and don't have the ability to get up a good speed to compete. However, a new form of public transport network could solve the issues and replace both services. Even reusing the existing rail networks, tarring over and creating a direct IMTS road from city to city, with stations kept purely for buses to pull in and out of.

Of course, you'd lose the ability for specific carriages and travelling between, however, there is no reason these executive coaches couldn't be specific to stations. There is potential to exploit.