Last week, Chinese commuters were given a new transportation option: instead of riding the Transit Elevated Bus (TEB-1), they could simply drive underneath it. This video shows the first test run of the TEB-1, whose dimensions allow it to straddle the highway.
Currently, only sedans and hatchbacks comfortably fit beneath the bus, but this shortcoming may soon be irrelevant. When autonomous cars run on small, efficient electric engines instead of bulky, internal combustion ones, they may become compact enough to let them pass under the TEB-1 with ease. Companies could then market vehicles that assuage commuters’ worries about getting stuck behind slow-moving buses during rush hour.
This new fleet of buses also offers an opportunity for its makers to launch a new, distinctive brand. In the near future, you may no longer need to catch the B Line to work. Instead, just hitch a ride on a Denali, Track Star, or Zenith: the fully-autonomous future versions of today’s Transit Elevated Bus.