Is there a better alternative to the electric car?

Transport systems of today are based on centuries-old technologies, crippled by congestion, inefficiency, pollution, mortality and social exclusion. In time, many of these will probably be replaced by self-driving electric vehicles (EVs) that continuously communicate with each other and the environment, making optimum use of energy and space. But is there room for further improvement? Starting anew, one might aspire to conceive of a system that combines the efficiency of public transport with the flexibility, and privacy, of the automobile. The solution, as envisaged by NIfTI, is a levitated pod, propelled by electromagnetic pulses embedded in our existing road infrastructure, escorting passengers of all ages and disability smoothly, swiftly and safely to their desired destination.