TEXT G Some pessimistic experts
feel that the automobile is bound to fall into disuse. They see a day in the
not-too-distant future when all autos will be abandoned and allowed to rust.
Other authorities, however, think the auto is here to stay. They hold that the
car will remain a leading means of urban travel in the foreseeable
future. The motorcar will undoubtedly change significantly over
the next 30 years. It should become smaller, safer, and more economical, and
should not be powered by the gasoline engine. The car of the future should be
far more pollution-free than present types. Regardless of its
power source, the auto in the future will still be the main problem in urban
traffic congestion. One proposed solution to this problem is the automated
highway system. When the auto enters the highway system, a
retractable arm will drop from the auto and make contact with a rail, which is
similar to those powering subway trains electrically. Once attached to the rail,
the car will become electrically powered from the system, and control of the
vehicle will pass to a central computer. The computer will then monitor all of
the car’s movements. The driver will use a telephone to dial
instructions about his destination into the system. The computer will calculate
the best route, and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit
from the highway. The driver will then be free to relax and wait for the buzzer
that will warn him of his coming exit. It is estimated that an automated highway
will be able to handle 10,000 vehicles per hour, compared with the 1,500 to
2,000 vehicles that can be carried by a present-day highway. In an automated highway system, all the driver needs to do is
A．keep in the right lane B．wait to arrive at his destination C．keep in constant touch with the computer center D．inform the system of his destination by phone