Trams help us get around the city and they provide an alternative method of transportation to buses or trains , depending on your stop. That being said, is there a huge need for trams to start being more hi-tech? Well apparently in Russia the answer would be yes. There is a new tram that is expected to see deployment in the major Russian cities in the future. The tram is built by a company called UralVagonZavod. Dubbed the Russia One, not only does the tram look pretty sleek and futuristic and the outside, but inside it comes with some pretty hi-tech technology that one might not necessarily expect from trams. For example the LED lighting within the trams will change depending on the time of day. There will also be music that changes according to the mood and also time of day, and passengers will be able to look forward to GPS and GLONASS technology, air conditioning, anti-bacterial handrails, and even built-in WiFi.
Many trams are memorable, but they tend to evoke nostalgia rather than embrace the future. You can’t accuse UralVagonZavod (UVZ) of being behind the times with its new Russia One, though. To begin with, it looks like the Batmobile on a closed track — and for good reason. The forward-tilted windshield helps the conductor spot pedestrians, while the glass composite panels are easy to replace. The tram is cutting-edge on the inside, too. Dynamic LED lighting and music change the cabin mood to suit the time of day. You’ll also find positioning (GPS and GLONASS), air conditioning, anti-bacterial hand rails and WiFi. The driver even gets a USB 3.0 port that can keep a phone powered up. Don’t count on hopping aboard one of these mass transit marvels when they go into production, which should be sometime in 2015. As the Russia One name implies, this machine is partly about national pride; UVZ believes the vehicle will primarily be used in major Russian cities. Exports to Eastern Europe and South America aren’t more than possibilities at this stage. Nonetheless, it’s a big step forward for a form of public transportation that doesn’t get a lot of love — and it’s probably the first tram that would make Bruce Wayne proud.
