ROME – Highly flexible, hi-tech, ecological, but above all connected. Urban mobility is enriched by a new technological solution which in the near future will be the protagonist of an authentic revolution. Its name is ConnX, the South Tyrolean company Leitner of the HTI group has designed and patented it and has already produced a prototype, which in this way takes a new step forward by offering unprecedented flexibility in the further development of public transport thanks, in fact, to a hybrid solution.
The new ConnX solution, whose name is inspired by the English term connect, is based on a simple concept: the optimal connection between aerial cableway systems and land electric mobility. The heart of the idea is represented by a cable car whose cabin, once it enters the station, is transferred to an autonomous electric vehicle which then continues its path at street level. The system has two obvious advantages for urban contexts: on the one hand, it allows you to more easily overcome any topographical or structural obstacles with a cable car, on the other hand, the double solution is an important alternative for all those areas in which, for various reasons , it is not possible to implement a continuous cable car variant.
“Once again our corporate group has gone from words to deeds, and once again it has done so by investing in technological innovation that will bring certain benefits for the quality of life of people and for the care of the environment” declares Anton Seeber president of the HTI group which includes companies such as Leitner, Poma, Prinoth, Demaclenko and Leitwind. “One year after the launch of the first Prinoth hydrogen snow groomer – he continues -, today we are able to announce a new solution that highlights our ability to transform innovative ideas into reality. This time at the service of increasingly liveable and sustainable urban centers “.
Martin Leitner, vice president of the HTI group, sales and research and development manager of the South Tyrolean company, explains how the idea was born. “Precisely from the daily experience gained in recent years in the construction of urban cableway systems and by comparing ourselves in the field with the different realities and needs around the world, we have entrusted our research and development office with the task of giving substance to an idea that would make it possible to complete a cableway mobility system that today in cities and in certain situations is faced with limitations, such as a curve or the visual impact of a cableway line in the historic center, which risk limiting a more widespread use. ConnX therefore wants to be that decisive piece capable of making our mobility system even more effective “.
But how does ConnX work in detail? The combination of cable car and self-driving electric vehicles allows for comfortable handling while remaining comfortably seated in the cabin. Furthermore, the fluid interaction between the area line and the land line allows adaptability to the most diverse urban needs. In this way it is possible to bypass existing infrastructural barriers, such as buildings or monuments. ConnX is not only suitable as a “missing link” between different transport systems or between two cable cars, but also as a “last mile link” for people and goods. Klaus Erharter, technical director of Leitner, explains which considerations were decisive for its implementation: “At the basis of the idea is the concept of sustainable passenger transport. That is, passengers must be able to reach the desired destination without having to go from one means of transport to another. Areas in an urban context that are not accessible to cable cars, such as railway stations or subway stations, are thus reached by self-driving vehicles “.
ConnX thus reinforces the essential advantages of cable cars and creates added value in ecological, structural and economic terms compared to existing means of transport by road and rail. In addition to short construction times and low investment and operating costs, the hybrid solution brings a significant reduction in noise emissions and also creates an efficient use of electric mobility in public transport. Regular travel times, continuous transport and flexible scheduling options for stops also fully meet the basic requirements for a public transport system. Furthermore, at speeds of over ten meters per second (almost 40 km / h), the transport capacity can be maintained for the entire operating time thanks to autonomous movement on dedicated lanes without interference or delays from other road users. ConnX is a particularly changing “mix of systems”, making the cable car an even more effective means of transportation for urban areas.
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