This week’s SmartCar roundup features the first 3D printed car, tires that don’t need air, and a Transportationist dedicating his life to studying factors that affect our auto-ecosystem.

Urbee 2

Two years from now, two brothers and a dog will embark on a journey that has never been done before: drive across America in a 3D printed vehicle called the Urbee 2.   Cody and Tyler Kor, along with their dog Cupid will be driving across America, much like the 1903 journey of Horatio Nelson Jackson, his mechanic Sewall K. Crocker, and Bud, a pittbull they came across during their trip.  The big difference, aside from the vehicles, is the time it takes to complete the journey and the amount of gas consumed.

The 1903 journey took 63 days, 12 hours, and 800 gallons of fuel to travel from San Francisco to New York.  According to Google time estimates, the journey can be completed in 44 hours, but since they are human and canine, they will need bathroom breaks, rest stops, and of course time to eat. Plus they need to consider Murphy’s Law and expect everything to go wrong, so it is assumed that the journey will take longer than 44 hours.

As for Urbee 2, the lozenge-shaped vehicle was built using CAD files and a 3D printer.  Since the Urbee 2 is made up of lighter materials, it will travel faster and will require less gas to complete the journey.  They expect to consume only 10 gallons of gas from New York to San Francisco.

Bridgestone’s non-pneumatic tires

In 2011, Bridgestone unveiled a concept plan for non-pneumatic or airless tires.  The announcement describes a unique structure composed of spokes stretching along the inner sides of the tire which supports the weight of the car.  The spokes are made up of reusable thermoplastic resin.  As for the tread of the tire, the part that comes in contact with the ground, it is also made up of recyclable materials.

The spoked design addresses the problem of constantly checking for the correct tire pressure, and you’ll no longer have to worry about the tires doing flat if punctured.  This non-pneumatic tire is expected to set new standards in terms of environmental friendliness, safety and comfort.  At the Tokyo Motor Show, Bridgestone showcased these non-pneumatic tires for attendees to see, and they are looking fine.  No news yet as to when these tires will come to market.

photo courtesy of Bridgestone

The Transportationist

I’m sure you are familiar with The Transporter, but do you know what a Transportationist is?   David Levinson is dubbed as The Transportationist, a person who dissects different factors that causes changes in the auto-ecosystem.  Levinson aims to smartly survey the landscape via human behavior, technology lifecycles, urban transportation evolution, network capitalization, and congestion.

To find out more about the changing landscape of the auto-ecosystem, check out the AsymCAR podcast on iTunes or RSS.  You can also follow Levinson on Twitter @trnsprttnst.