[wcarron]

Mostly cause, like many Musk claims, it's total crap. Another article, this time from Jalopnik, again provides more light: https://jalopnik.com/what-the-actual-shit-was-that-183121458...

It's utter crap. It's not "affordable mass transit". It doesn't even attempt to approach the advertised speeds. It has no real ingress and egress plans for vehicles nor does it take into account congestion in the tunnel.

The whole thing is needless grandstanding around a poorly built tunnel that doesn't even fulfill 1/10th of its promises. This is why I'm cynical, and why I'm sure others are too.

[darawk]

Who cares about this particular tunnel? This tunnel isn't the point. The point is tunneling technology.

[wcarron]

Tunneling technology is already a very mature field. TBC hasn't revolutionized anything with regards to tunneling tech.

I dunno why you would say the point is the technology. The point is obviously building out alternative means of transit to help decongest above-the-ground roadways. Which this fails to demonstrate.

[darawk]

> Tunneling technology is already a very mature field. TBC hasn't revolutionized anything with regards to tunneling tech.

Is that so? Were rockets and cars not already 'mature' fields? Do you have any basis for that statement at all?

[wcarron]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_boring_machine https://www.machinedesign.com/motion-control/boring-company-...

Why don't you read an article or two. It'll help keep you from making a fool of yourself.

[darawk]

Maybe you should read them. Neither remotely supports the point you're trying to make.

Unless all you're trying to say is "people have been digging tunnels for a while". Which is about as useful as pointing out that people had been riding horses for a while so transportation was probably as efficient as it was going to get.

[wcarron]

lol ok buddy. Have a good christmas. Maybe someone'll buy you a coursera on reading comprehension!

[mhermher]

They bought a used off the shelf boring machine.

[Patrick_Devine]

... to figure out how the current technology works, and determine how to make it faster.

I'm not a Musk apologist. The idea of underground freeways in tiny tunnels is not good, but real innovation generally comes from grinding, evolutionary progress. You need to iterate to figure out what works and what doesn't work.

[gamblor956]

It's a used, small-scale boring machine. Literally all the innovations Elon is trying to claim aren't necessary for boring machines that small because the cost efficiencies gained are rounding errors.

Small boring machines work differently from big boring machines. It's like the difference between an toy RC car and...a Tesla. Other than using batteries and motors they're not comparable.

[aggie]

What technology? I'm a fan of Musk's work but this whole venture seems like a pet project for a fantasy he has of bypassing LA traffic in a private billionaire tunnel. It's not clear they've identified an opportunity for some real technological or production advantages as with SpaceX and Tesla.

[bildung]

But the boring machine used was just an off-the shelf machine, same as every other tunnel boring company uses.