第502期:Cars of the Future

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Todd: Now, Phil, you mentioned that you actually studied automotive engineering.

Phil: Yeah, that's correct.

Todd: OK, can you explain what automotive engineering is?

Phil: It's basically car design and basic technology involved in cars in all aspects: the engine, the performance, the aerodynamics, so it's basically an overview of all kind of car aspects for the future.

Todd: Cool, so you must know a lot about the cars of the future and stuff. I mean, how do you see cars in let's say twenty years, thirty years, forty years?

Phil: In the near future I think the big developments will be alternative fuels. At the moment petrol and diesel engines are causing a lot of damage to the planet and we're going to eventually run out of natural resources, so I think the developments will be towards electric or hybrid cars.

Todd: Right.

Phil: Maybe even using fuel cells such as hydrogen.

Todd: Well, like how many years away do you think this is?

Phil: Realistically, ten to fifteen years away before we start seeing the first ones in production but before we see everyone using them, it's going to be twenty years, I would have thought, I guess.

Todd: Right... Now, I once had a student who was an engineer for Chrysler, Daimal-Chrysler, and he was saying that they already have cars that can drive without people like you can just say your location and it'll go there. Have you heard about that?

Phil: I've seen the technology from a German company called Volkswagon as well. The problem with this technology - it's brilliant. It's amazing what it can do, but people's attitude is the problem. People like the sense of freedom from having a car.

Todd: Right.

Phil: And if your car is driving you then you lose that. It's like being on a train or something, so you lose that individual sense of freedom.

Todd: Wow, that's right. That's a good point.

Phil: And then, there's the infrastructure.

Todd: Oh, so you think that basically, it'll never take off, that people will always want to drive their own cars?

Phil: Possibly, although maybe they could develop a system wherein the inner cities the system is used, basically to help, because traffic flow and congestion is a problem.

Todd: Right.

Phil: So maybe within the cities, the system could be used, but outside the city, people would always want their freedom in the country roads - the thrill of driving, the excitement.

Todd: Right... Now when you watch movies, you often see cars that can fly, or cars that can go underwater like in a James Bond movie. Do you see that maybe in the future?

Phil: Underwater I think would be a bit pointless, and very difficult to achieve the engineering. It's possible now, but the engineering is just ridiculously hi-tech, but I don't know about the flying cars. Maybe in hundreds of years but certainly not in my lifetime and not in anyone's lifetime who's listening to this website, no.

Todd: All right. Thanks a lot, Phil.