Space race on Earth

Hyperloop transport is a sample of how the future might look and the race has begun

The race to have the first functioning hyperloop is the closest thing to a space race that we have here on Earth. Photo courtesy Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport

There has been a lot of discussion about hyperloops lately. On Sunday, Sheikh Falah bin Zayed signed an agreement with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies to invest in a project to build a hyperloop link between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Last November, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority started the process of planning for a hyperloop between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

While the UAE is sometimes criticised for lacking extensive traditional public transport options, the interest in hyperloops is a sign that we are ready to invest in next-generation infrastructure. While these projects are expensive and might not necessarily get off the ground, the race to have the first functioning hyperloop is the closest thing to a space race that we have here on Earth.

In parts of Asia, bullet trains have long fascinated visitors and eased public transport headaches, but they don’t hold a candle to a fully operational hyperloop system that would allow travel between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in under 15 minutes. The race is on.