The Future of Transportation: Elon Musk's Vision for Tunnels and Autonomy

💡Elon Musk is digging tunnels under LA to create a 3D network that alleviates congestion caused by traffic.

🚗Musk envisions an underground tunnel system where cars can seamlessly enter and exit, reducing traffic congestion on the surface streets.

🔑The design includes an elevator system that takes cars on a skate to the tunnel, allowing for high-speed travel.

🚇Tunneling technology needs to become more cost-effective to realize Musk's vision for an extensive tunnel network.

🌌Musk's Boring Company aims to create tunnels capable of holding vacuum, potentially enabling the future of Hyperloop transportation.

Why is Musk focusing on tunnels instead of developing flying cars?

—Musk believes that flying cars would create noise and safety issues, while tunnels can solve the problem of congestion in high-density areas.

Will autonomous cars lead to more traffic?

—Yes, shared autonomous vehicles can make transportation more affordable and convenient, resulting in increased traffic compared to the current situation.

How do Tesla's autonomous cars rely on cameras and radar?

—Tesla's cars use cameras and GPS for vision-based navigation, while radar helps in detecting objects and obstacles.

When will Tesla's autonomous cars be able to drive cross-country without human intervention?

—Musk aims to achieve full autonomy by the end of 2017, allowing a Tesla to drive from California to New York without human input.

How does Tesla gather data for autonomous driving?

—Tesla collects data from its fleet of cars on the roads, providing valuable information for improving autonomous driving capabilities.

00:12Elon Musk is welcomed back to TED to discuss his vision for the future of transportation.

00:39Musk explains that they are digging tunnels under LA to create a 3D network that will alleviate congestion caused by traffic.

01:59The tunnel design includes an elevator system and car skate to seamlessly integrate entrance and exits to the network.

04:30To achieve cost-effective tunneling, Musk suggests reducing the tunnel diameter and implementing continuous tunneling and reinforcing.

08:29Musk discusses the potential application of the tunneling technology to the Hyperloop idea.

13:31Musk talks about Tesla's progress in developing fully autonomous cars and the importance of vision-based navigation.

14:33Musk predicts that by the end of 2017, a Tesla will be able to drive cross-country without any human input.

16:06Musk expresses confidence in Tesla's ability to handle dynamic route changes using their growing dataset.