Photo courtesy: Charles Bombardier

Photo courtesy: Charles Bombardier

TORONTO, Ontario — Charles Bombardier, who has designed a robotic hockey referee, a tugboat that creates waves for surfing competitions, and magnet-propelled rollercoaster in which riders hurtle above the track in a metal sphere, has reinvented the bus for the Toronto Transit Commission, according to a BBC report.

Toronto’s Globe & Mail publishes many of his ideas in its “Prototypes” section, and it was that publication that asked him to develop a new design for the TTC's buses, the report said.

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Photo courtesy: Charles Bombardier

Photo courtesy: Charles Bombardier

The Xoupir (pronounced "super") is a fully-electric bus powered by wireless electricity, with four rear wheels to provide extra traction.

The roof of the Xoupir is covered with flexible solar panels to power the communication systems, while the top shell also acts as a cooling unit by using the natural airflow and embedded linear radiators to cool the passengers, according to Bombardier's website.

Other design innovations include smartglass tinted windows; free WiMAX ultra-high speed Internet access; OLED screens located inside and outside of the vehicle featuring ads that change based on the preferences of users who are looking at them; and the ability to pay fares wirelessly via smartphone, credit card or by thumbprint.

The Xoupir is a series of ideas that could be implemented in today’s bus or even in every city’s mass transit network. I really like the idea of silent and non-polluting electric buses that can be powered and recharged wirelessly. I also like the idea of being able to hop on any bus in the world without having to carry a wallet (Paying with biometrics). - Bombardier says.

Photo courtesy: Charles Bombardier

Photo courtesy: Charles Bombardier

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