Sharjah aims to become the first city to roll-out high-speed skypod transport

Plans are underway to roll out a high-speed skypod transport system for passengers and cargo in Sharjah. The suspended transport system, which involves the movement of driverless pods on “strings“ – which are a bundle of tensioned steel tracks attached on concrete supports – is being tested at Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTI Park). The suspended transport system is different from the conventional pulley system of cable cars or aerial trams, which continuously move and circulate around two terminal stations at a speed between 10 to 20 km per hour. Sky pods are connected to high-tensioned steel wire and move back and forth independently. The uCar (passenger sky pod) that can carry up to four passengers runs on 400-metre test track at SRTI Park at a speed of up to 50km per hour. A longer string-rail system will be completed between October to November this year and the driverless hanging electric pod will be tested to run up to 150km per hour.