Dezeen Magazine

14 crazy proposals that could transform the future of transport

A proposal to transform London Underground's Circle Line into a 17-mile-long moving walkway quickly became one of this week's most-discussed stories. We've collected together 14 of the most unusual transport solutions featured on Dezeen, including Lady Gaga's flying dress and a flock of self-driving workplaces.


London Underground moving walkway by NBBJ

NBBJ London Underground walkway travelator
NBBJ's London Underground walkway travelator

Trains on London's Underground network can be claustrophobic, crowded and frustrating – especially during peak travelling hours. NBBJ's concept to transform the subterranean Circle Line into a giant travelator proposes replacing them with walkways moving at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. Find out more about this project »


Hyperloop by Elon Musk

Elon Musk's Hyperloop
An early concept design for Elon Musk's Hyperloop

Elon Musk's proposed Hyperloop system would use magnets and fans to propel passenger capsules through a long pipe-like structure at speeds faster than commercial aeroplanes. Find out more about this project »


Future of Automobility by IDEO

Slow becomes fast concept vehicle by IDEO
IDEO imagines how autonomous vehicles could transform the way we work

Imagine a future where self-driving workplaces commute to you. That's exactly what global design consultancy IDEO proposed with its WOW (work on wheels) pods, which could be reconfigured to meet a company's specific needs. Find out more about this project »


AeroMobil by Štefan Klein 

Aeromobil flying car
The AeroMobil is a working "pre-prototype" for a flying car

Flying cars are no longer exclusively the subject of science fiction. The creators of this working example called AeroMobil described it as "ideal" for mid-range journeys, and even suggested flying cars could be the solution to pressure on traditional transport networks. Find out more about this project »


Martin Jetpack by Martin Aircraft Company

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The world's first practical jetpack by Martin Aircraft Company

Who hasn't dreamed of traveling via jetpack? This lightweight design comprises a carbon fibre body and is propelled by a gas engine that enables vertical takeoff and landing as well as sustained flight. Find out more about this project »


Lexus Hoverboard

Lexus-Hoverboard_dezeen
The Lexus Hoverboard uses magnetic fields to levitate

The film Back to the Future II is set in 2015, so fans were thrilled when car brand Lexus unveiled its first working hoverboard this year – the floating skateboard is among the futuristic technologies suggested by the movie. Find out more about this project »


Volantis by Studio XO

lady gaga volantis
Lady Gaga's flying dress by Studio XO

Created for Lady Gaga, the Volantis is the world's first flying dress. The design is remote controlled and flies using 12 battery-powered propellors. According to the designer, it signals the beginning of a new era for human flight. Find out more about this project »


Manned Cloud by Jean-Marie Massaud

Manned Cloud by Jean Marie Massaud
The Manned Cloud hotel is designed to accommodate 40 guests

For an alternative touring holiday, why not cruise the skies in this floating whale-shaped hotel? Designed to accommodate 40 guests, the conceptual airship would also house a restaurant, a library, a fitness suite and a spa. Find out more about this project »


Passing Cloud by Tiago Barros

Passing Cloud by Tiago Barros
Tiago Barros' inflatable cloud for slow travel

If you're not worried about where you go or how fast you get there, this enormous inflatable cloud is the mode of transport for you. This far-fetched and playful proposal would see commuters' board via ladders and hold on for dear life. Find out more about this project »


Human vacuum chamber for space travel by Lucy McRae

Prepping the body for Space by Lucy McRae
Prepping the body for Space by Lucy McRae

As part of our Dezeen and MINI Frontiers exhibition, designer Lucy McRae imagined a future where long-distance space travel is commonplace. Travellers in such scenarios would need to train their bodies to cope with zero-gravity environments, which is where McRae's vacuum chamber could come in handy. Find out more about this project »


Habitats for Venus by NASA

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NASA's "lighter-than-air" pods could hover above the clouds of Venus

Once fully prepared for space travel, these NASA-designed blimps – conceived as part of a research project exploring the possibility of sending astronauts to Venus – could be your transport solution for far-away planets. Find out more about this project »


Carver boards by Onean

Onean surfboard
Onean's battery-powered surfboard

This battery-powered board makes it possible to surf without any waves, opening up new possibilities for commuting along canals, rivers, or stretches of sea. Find out more about this project »


F 015 Luxury in Motion by Mercedes-Benz

F 015 Luxury in Motion by Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz's F 015 Luxury concept for the future of driverless vehicles

German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz unveiled its vision for the future of luxury motoring with an autonomous pod-like vehicle designed to function as a communal living room on wheels. Find out more about this project »


Stained-glass Driverless Sleeper Car of the Future by Dominic Wilcox

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Dominic Wilcox's "car of the future" is driverless and made of stained glass

Dominic Wilcox also explored the future of autonomous vehicles as part of our Dezeen and MINI Frontiers exhibition. Wilcox proposed the creation of elaborate cars stripped of safety features – including one made from stained glass. Find out more about this project »