Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 18
Interaction Between Future
Transportation Technology and Future
Fuel Supply
It seems to be a remarkable fact that discoveries and inventions for transportation
were made at nearly similar time intervals in history because technology, legis-
lation, and financial conditions influence all sectors of transportation in a very
similar way (see Table
18.1
)[
1
].
Can technology generally solve the problems of mobility and save the long-
term transportation? The answer is more sited and not simply to form.
18.1 Time Dependency
The lack of time limits for future development is the main unsolved problem of
strategies. The dependence on ''time'' is common in all sectors of transportation
but the interpretation of time intervals is different [
2
].
The construction, production, marketing or inspection, and maintenance phase
of vehicles, airplanes and ships is measured in months or years. The reference
value is based on the subjective sense of time, depending on temporal experiences
of human beings. This scale could lead to false conclusions and uncertainties or
even qualitative mistakes in the interpretation of trends and prognoses.
The most critical situations are expected in the interaction of fuel supply and
engineering technology. The description of possible scenarios with analysis of
future developments in transportation can foresee qualitative changes only in a
limited way. For this reason, only some basic relationships between fuel supply
and engineering technology can be examined.
18.2 Saving Fuel
Saving fuel is the most important measure for the protection of the environment
and the climate. Development will be shaped by saving resources, decelerating
fuel consumption, supporting technical developments, and producing new type of
Search WWH ::
Custom Search