Can you imagine a train like this to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles in one hour without the hassles of dealing with an airport?

PAL-V, a hybrid tricycle and gyrocopter, will allegedly be available for an undisclosed price by 2009. The vehicle, which has been in development for six years by Netherlands-based PAL-V Europe BV, will fly below 4,000 feet and have a fuel efficient engine for both driving and flying. [via oh gizmo]

Wally Yachts is developing a 325-foot yacht with a giant front platform, which can be configured to include a deep water pool and garden oasis with trees!

HOVER (high occupancy vehicles in express routes) is an efficient carpooling system originally developed in Auckland, New Zealand to reduce congestion.  Hover provides a system that does not require pre-planning for drivers, no commitment to participate everyday, or travel at specific, predesignated times.  Lots of cars commute to similar destinations, and have empty seats, so it’s a great system to reduce highway congestion, and reduce automobile emissions.  The organization advocates that “park and ride” facilities for the “park and pool” system be publicly funded like roads and buses.  Check out the video below.

Designer Tom Shannon has received a patent on a new type of blimp with 61.5 million LED’s, so the entire surface can be used for video advertising. Tom is trying to raise funding to build and operate the blimps. [via wired]

Urban Aeronautics, founded by Dr. Rafi Yoeli, aims to develop a rotorless vertical takeoff and landing vehicle ideal for urban environments.  It’s expected to be available by 2010. [Gizmodo]

The JR Hokkaido Company of Japan is testing a vehicle capable of traveling via rail and road, and expects to carry its first paying passengers by April. The $150k vehicle cost is a fraction of a diesel rail car, and has much cheaper maintenance and fuel costs.

[via Gizmodo]

Boeing is developing a hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft prototype. The plane will be a light-aircraft and have a top speed around 70 mph. The technology is in its infancy, but has tremendous potential, according to Boeing. Of course, battery disposal and even the production of hydrogen currently have a negative environmental impact. [via Treehugger]

[I will be traveling until Wednesday, September 6, so posting may be slow until then. Thanks, Matt]

Check out this video of the Lexus LS 460 self-parking!

The car also has a Pre-Collision System as an option. Two small cameras mounted at the front of the car, and a millimeter-wave radar, are sensitive enough to detect not just other cars, but also pedestrians.

A completely self-driving car is clearly imminent. Stanford’s Robot Car, which won the DARPA Grand Challenge, is also indicative of this prediction.

[UPDATE (9-13-06):  Chinese automaker FAW’s top-of-the line vehicle has a self-driving system.]

This personal chopper costs $29,900, and travels 55 mph!

For more information, click here.

For FAA ultra-light regulations, click here.

[via futurismic]