In addition to forking over $10 million to keep AI in good hands, human Hermes reincarnate Elon Musk has announced that he is working on building a Hyperloop test track. For the uninitiated, the Hyperloop is the Tesla Motors and SpaceX creator’s conceptual air capsule transportation system that could travel at up to 800 MPH. And with this announcement, his pie-in-the-sky abstraction has just taken its “first physical incarnation,” notes the Verge.
Musk announced the news first at the Texas Transportation Forum and then made it public via Twitter, revealing only that the track will be “most likely in Texas.” He also teased a “pod racer competition, like Formula SAE” (or Star Wars). According to one source present at the forum, the test track will be five miles long.
Will be building a Hyperloop test track for companies and student teams to test out their pods. Most likely in Texas.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 15, 2015
Also thinking of having an annual student Hyperloop pod racer competition, like Formula SAE http://t.co/HV9BLCoMb8
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 15, 2015
According to Dirk Ahlborn, the CEO of the startup developing it, the Hyperloop could be a reality in 10 years. It goes without saying — but we’ll say it anyway — that this is a big fucking deal. If realized, would certainly change how we do business, travel, and, frankly, live. College students: your new mission is to figure out how to be Elon Musk’s new pod racer.
(Photo: JD Lasica)
