MIT, General Motors, Motorola Collaborate On Stackable Cars

The concept of a city--and how cars affect it--is the focus of a study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Called the "Smart Cities Concept Cars", the program has
designers looking into new designs of cars.

One concept, for example, removes the drivetrain and puts them in the car wheels. Basically, the motor, steering, braking, suspension and computer are housed in each wheel which is designed for a rotation of 150 degrees, or if independent from the car, a full 360 degrees.

Another concept being looked at is called the "stackable car". The cars get their names from their collapsible frames and other innovations. An electric car that sits at charging stations throughout a city, the stackable cars are linked to each other like the sections of a caterpillar. When a "user" (not driver) needs a car, they schedule a time to use such a vehicle, then go to the station to pick up a car. After they're finished, they simply drop it off at the nearest station to be recharged and for the next user.

Other plans include solar panels (to charge the batteries at the station), energy from windmills, and hydrogen fuel.

The study is being sponsored by General Motors, Motorola and MIT.

Our take? We know the "electric wheels cars" are currently being pursued by other automakers. Realistically, fuel technologies that provide alternatives to gasoline are most likely to be seen in production in the upcoming years, while other technologies, like the stations, are either still dreams or will find limited use.