RUF Dual-Mode Grfx RUF Dual-Mode Concept

An intriguing mode of transportation currently being studied in Denmark is the RUF Intelligent Auto/Transit concept. RUF (which means "go fast" in Danish) is a concept that represents an integration of personal auto convenience and rail transit efficiency. It utilizes small- and medium-sized electric intelligent vehicles that can be operated on the conventional roadway system as well as on an automated rail system. In the manual mode, it would be powered by on-board batteries and have a range of up to 50 km on the conventional street system. A hybrid version of the vehicle has also been conceptualized that would extend this off-rail range considerably. In the automated mode, it would be able to take power from the rail system and operate at high speed over longer distances. This combination of integrated operating modes would provide the user with the ability to reach the vast majority of destinations in a large metropolitan region quickly and without having to deal with the congestion delays and accident hazards that exist on conventional freeway/arterial systems.

RUF Vehicle On-Ramp Grfx
RUF vehicles enter onto the guideway from existing road ROWs.

The RUF vehicle can be owned by individuals or by the public. Personal RUF vehicles would normally be kept at a person's residence or parked at/near his/her workplace. Public vehicles would be available at all rail system stations and could be rented as needed by individuals or small groups (2-4 people). Larger MAXI-RUF vehicles would be operated like small buses (10 persons) on the automated rail system And, special versions could be used by businesses to move goods. All vehicles would have an "A-shaped" slot running down the center of their undersides so that they could be operated on a single rail (monorail) at high speeds. While traveling on the rail, their operation would be fully automated and the occupants would not have any responsibilities for the control of the vehicle. The control system would insure that travel would be congestion and accident free. It would also be able to "train" (i.e.connect) vehicles together on the rail to obtain higher operational efficiencies by reducing air resistance.

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