⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

Elon Musk's 'Boring' Tunnel System Speeds Cars Along at 130 MPH The SpaceX and Tesla CEO talked about his new side project at TED.

By Stephen J. Bronner

entrepreneur daily
The Boring Company

If Elon Musk gets his way, there will be interconnected systems of tunnels beneath our roads, with elevators that bring vehicles down to sleds that then shoot them off on rails at 130 MPH. Check out this video to see what he means:

The system will be managed by a computer and resembles packets of data going around, much like broadband internet.

Related: Here's Your First Look at Elon Musk's Tunnel Drilling Machine

That's the vision the Tesla and SpaceX co-founder shared today at TED for his new side project, The Boring Company, which he added he only devotes 2 to 3 percent of his time to.

"There's no real limit to how many levels of tunnels you can have," he said. "The deepest mines are much deeper than the tallest buildings are tall."

Still, there's lots of work to be done at The Boring Company, which currently only has interns and part-timers working to fulfill Musk's dreams of reducing traffic. For one, the boring machines are slow.

"We have a pet snail named Gary," he said. "Gary is capable of currently going 14 times faster than a tunnel boring machine. We want to beat Gary. He's not a patient little fellow, that will be victory. Victory will be beating the snail."

Musk also shed light on why he sees tunnels as a good solution for traffic as opposed to flying cars, which he said are noisy and generate lots of wind.

Related: Uber Unveils Personal Airplane Design and Plans Tests in 2020

"Let's just say if something is flying over your head ... that is not an anxiety-reducing situation," he said. "You don't think to yourself 'Well, I feel better about today.' You're thinking … 'Is it going to come off and guillotine me as it comes flying past?'"

You know, that thought never crossed my mind, but now that you mention it, Elon, tunnels are sounding pretty good.

Stephen J. Bronner

Entrepreneur Staff

News Director

Stephen J. Bronner writes mostly about packaged foods. His weekly column is The Digest. He is very much on top of his email.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Business News

Costco CFO Reveals Uncertain Fate of $1.50 Hot Dog and Soda Combo

CFO Richard Galanti reveals that the price will stay the same — but only "for a while."

Business News

The Most Unexpectedly Popular Side Hustle of the Decade Has Low Startup Costs and High Markups

A new report shows that vending machines are a popular investment — and the industry is set to grow up to $3 billion by 2031.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.