The main assumption from the research

• major issue w safety & certifications is the multidisciplinary nature of hyperloop regulations
• There is no real operational data on hyperloops and this is a setback for creating regulatory frameworks and guidelines
• a common theme I’ve seen is that lots of technology in hyperloops tends to have low maturity including the motors, vacuum tube, guidance and logistics of docking & braking. is this a reason why it is hard to draft safety regulations for Hyperloop?

Root causes to address

I’ve mapped out some main root causes present regarding safety & certifications, do you think there is something missing here?

• Lack of established hyperloop standards → The need for regulations from scratch
  • there is no full existing guideline, so one needs to be made
  • guideline for emergencies when something goes wrong does not exist
• Low vacuum tube tech maturity → this tech is unproven at the scale of hyperloop
  • maintaining a vacuum along the length of the tube
    • overcoming air leaks, capsule depressurization, maintaining passenger oxygen supply, thermal expansion, air resistance & choked flow, turning radius, and energy usage
• There is no real operational data on hyperloops (potential safety risks that may have not come up, failure modes, and human factors)
  • Unknown consequences of full systems integration (vacuum tube, LIMs, automation, etc.)

What needs to happen in the near future

• establishing comprehensive regulations is still a significant challenge due to the mixed nature of hyperloop safety and the lack of real-world operational data
• Continued collaboration between hyperloop companies, regulatory bodies, research institutions, and government agencies will be crucial to make substantive progress in this area and enable the safe deployment of hyperloop systems globally.
• Lack of operational full-scale system: Despite progress, there is still no operational full-scale inter-city hyperloop system that can validate the technology's performance, safety, and reliability at the intended speeds and distances.
• Unresolved technical challenges: Key technical issues like air resistance, turning radius, thermal expansion, and energy usage for the vacuum tube environment remain unsolved challenges that could impact feasibility at scale.
• High costs and funding challenges: The immense costs of building an entirely new transportation infrastructure, coupled with the lack of proven commercial viability, make it difficult to secure funding for full-scale deployment.
• Regulatory and certification hurdles: Comprehensive safety standards, regulations, and certification processes tailored to hyperloop systems are still lacking, hindering widespread adoption.
• maintaining a consistent vacuum over hundreds of kilometres remains a significant challenge that requires further research and innovation. Additionally, the high costs and energy requirements associated with establishing and sustaining the vacuum environment are hurdles that need to be overcome for full-scale commercial implementation
• theoretical studies, simulations, and prototype testing, transitioning the vacuum tube technology to an operational inter-city hyperloop network with proven reliability and safety will likely require overcoming numerous technical, financial, and regulatory obstacles in the coming years