Virgin Hyperloop unveils passenger experience plans
Just months after the first passenger testing, Virgin Hyperloop has unveiled its vision for the future hyperloop experience.
The newly-released concept shots take the viewer step-by-step through a hyperloop journey, from arriving at the portal to boarding the pod.
“Showing the passenger experience of Virgin Hyperloop is a glimpse of the future, following the success three months ago when people rode in a hyperloop pod for the first time,” said Sultan Bin Sulayem, chairman of Virgin Hyperloop and Group chairman and chief executive of DP World.
“We have demonstrated the maturity of our technology.
“We are getting closer to commercialization of what will be the first new mass-scale transportation mode in a century.”
Virgin Hyperloop worked with partners across disparate industries – including Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) for the portal designs, Teague for the pod designs, SeeThree for the video and animation, and Man Made Music for the score and sonic identity – to design a comprehensive, multi-sensory passenger experience that surpasses that of any other form of mass transit.
Far from a dystopian future where dark colours, stark lighting, and screens abound, Virgin Hyperloop’s counter narrative is a more optimistic view of the future: a greener, smoother, safer, and more pleasant mass transit experience.
Beyond the typical touchpoints in transportation, Virgin Hyperloop also researched and incorporated findings from more non-traditional interactions, such as sound.
A key pillar of Virgin Hyperloop’s passenger experience is accessibility, ensuring that this new form of transportation will expand opportunities for the masses.
While ticket prices will vary depending on the exact route, a recent study in Ohio found that hyperloop fares would be more akin to the cost of driving, rather than flying.
On demand and direct to destination, the hyperloop system would be able to transport thousands of passengers per hour, despite the fact that each vehicle carries up to 28 passengers.
This high throughput is achieved by convoying, where vehicles are able to travel behind one another in the tube within milliseconds, controlled by Virgin Hyperloop’s machine intelligence software.
Images: Virgin Hyperloop