The future of travel: the latest innovations in travel technology and transportation
Gone are the years when a trip across the ocean was an adventure in itself. Fifty years ago, passengers dressed in their finest clothes for a transcontinental journey, and of course, unlimited free drinks and a high price awaited them on this flight. In those days, getting on a plane was a rare occasion for a normal person and was therefore considered a very special occasion. Today, flights are cheaper than ever and passengers board without a second thought. We are living in the golden age of travel, thanks to the continuous advancement of travel technologies and advances in transportation making it easier to travel around the world. What will the incredible speed of innovation and technology bring us in the coming years? Supersonic jets, standing cabins and free Wi-Fi on every flight? battuta researched the latest technologies and travel trends to reveal the true future of travel.
How everything changed
A brief glance at the past is enough to show how quickly everything has changed. First, the travel books in the library were shuffled through, looking at maps, and face-to-face conversations with travel agents for inspiration when deciding where to go. Once the destination was decided, travelers had to go to a travel agency or call airlines and hotels themselves to handle ticketing and booking. Nowadays this is much easier. Many tourists rely heavily on social media, apps, online guides and articles for inspiration on where to go on their next trip. Since plane tickets, accommodation and even rental cars are just a few clicks away, vacation bookings are made faster and easier.
The future of travel technology
Advances in technology are not only making travel planning and booking easier for us, but also changing the way we travel. So, will we see robots fly our planes in the next fifty years? Maybe not so soon, but robot co-pilots are already being tested on some aircraft, and we can expect interest and investment in robotics to increase in the coming years. While we won’t be encountering robot pilots on our next flight, there are many other technological advances currently in development. Recently, Airbus has applied for a patent for foldable wings that will allow aircraft to maneuver more easily at airports. Imagine your plane gracefully approaching the gate, instead of whizzing around other planes, cargo trucks, and airport staff, reducing the time between ground contact and landing to just a few minutes. Supersonic jets (planes that go faster than the speed of sound) have been around for years already. While we won’t see commercial supersonic planes in the next 20 or maybe 50 years, their detailed plans have already been put under the microscope. Startups like Boom are working to develop technology that will allow passenger planes to fly at supersonic speeds, thus cutting travel times in nearly half. A new “sports plane” is among the innovations developed. Developed in partnership with Nike; It offers features such as a training hall, in-flight biometric analysis, ice and bandage racks, and sleep capsules specially designed for athletes. All the features of the aircraft are designed to help athletes complete their journey, which can take hours and can be physically exhausting, rested and ready to race.
The good news for those with a fear of flying is that future flights with almost no turbulence await us. A technology currently in development can see weather patterns hundreds of miles ahead, helping pilots navigate extremely variable weather conditions. Boeing 787 Dreamliner is one of the planes that offers features that help reduce turbulent movements. Advanced accelerometers in the nose of the aircraft detect sudden drops and adjust the wing flaps in nanoseconds to significantly reduce the impact. Another interesting point to consider is that soon, planes will be able to perform vertical take-off without the need for a runway, using the technology we see in helicopters. This technology will enable passengers to land in previously inaccessible or hard-to-reach places and open the door to a whole new world of unexplored places.
Interior of airplane
Gone are the days of armchair wars with those sitting next to you. Future airplanes will have two elbow rests for each passenger, and these will be of different heights to avoid collisions with the person sitting next to them. What a freedom! Airplane seats for many airlines have gotten thinner over the years and will continue to follow the same fashion for years to come. These lighter and thinner seats allow airlines to not only save fuel, but also fit more people on board. Some may be skeptical that this will lead to overcrowding or less legroom for passengers, but having more passengers will allow the airline to offer their seats at more affordable prices, which is ultimately a good thing, right? Speaking of seats, Zodiac Seats France has filed a patent for a new system they call the “Economy Class Cabin Hexagon”. These cinema-style folding seats will be produced in a way that allows passengers to face face-to-face, as in a train or subway layout. Allegedly, this would give passengers 15% more legroom, but could also cause them to make uncomfortable eye contact with people sitting in front of them. For now, it’s just a patent and there are no current plans for these seats to be made available to the public, so you don’t have to worry about those weird looks just yet. With so much flight technology being developed every day, there’s no way of knowing exactly what the future of travel will look like. One thing is certain, together we can be excited about the future of the aviation industry and look forward to the new inventions that the coming years will bring.
