Technology Evolution in Passenger Transport

Long distance passenger behaviour and travel conditions evolves along time. Social and economic environments are continuously changing, sustainability issues are increasingly having stronger influence in all activities. Technological evolution is an endless process working in different directions.
 

At least in two ways, technological innovations are influencing the travel patterns. Modern communications tools are introducing new solutions in many life activities that have consequences in the passenger decisions. On the other hand new technologies are introducing improvements of different nature in all the transport modes.
 

All these innovations are bringing safer, reliable, comfortable, efficient and sustainable transport systems. From the road to aviation new solutions are transforming them in more attractive options. Also in the railway field, from the starting of the modern High Speed services, technologies are offering additional improvements in railway service features. Technological innovation usually follows an evolving trend, sometimes this evolution means a jump, revolutionizes the current status.
 

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the technological evolution of different fields of the industry will influence the ability of the railways to provide convenient long distance passenger services. The study, consisting in a retrospective analysis and a prospective research, go deep in the potential evolution of the four major technological fields influencing the passenger travel: railways, aviation, road and communications. The study’s results would be also valuable in order to identify missing lines of innovation in railways to make it stronger compared with the other modes.