Fuel Efficiency of Chaining Cars Together / Towing?

Question

My colleagues and I are looking for solutions to the unpopularity of public transportation, unoptimized traffic flow, and excessive fuel consumption.

We drew up several models of public transportation that allow drivers to stay in there cars.

One suggestion was to make "automation highways", only eligible to drivers with cars having specific automation computers and gps systems, whereon these highways the car takes over the driving 100%, & then tailgates the car in front of it right up til their bumpers are touching (and still driving), at which point it magnetizes your bumper, and the cars begin to act as one car. Thus several cars can drive (at high speeds) acting as one unit with several axels and several engines. (bumpers are demagnitized and cars exit the 'train' as needed to get each car to its prescribed exit (gps) )

The question is whether magnetizing two cars together by their front and rear bumpers, is there any way to use less combined gasoline? and how much less (%

Just as a clarification, ALL cars on the automated highway have the same computers on them, and cars can communicate one with another, and all cars know the Exact location of all other automated cars. (and only these automated cars will be allowed on the highway --a machine will try to communicate with your car before the gate will let you in). Thus everything suggested and Much more is possible and very Easy for cars to do (at high speeds and with small error rate), plus sensor systems would be included, so emergencies (like a christmas tree falling off someones roof) would also be seamlessly avoided.
(not to mention thousands of other benefits car communication could provide)

Most of these technologies are already present is some cars (though not all together), GPS systems are extremely popular, Lexus's have sensor-systems (and can avoid objects on the road and parellel-park), and Honda is coming out with a car that talks with other honda's & wakes you up if you fall asleep.

Response to answers:

why the doubt?: of course automation is scary at the start, but past experience shows that humans quickly learn to trust, depend on, and love automation. (roller-coasters, airplanes, ABS, buses&trains).

Plus: don't underestimate what technology can do. ALL of these ideas have already been tested by Honda, with outstanding efficiency, safety, and practicallity. They only choose not to use them because the system requires that all cars have compatible and communicating computers. Therefore the industry is choosing a little-by-little strategy: introducing automation a little at a time until ALL cars have at least some automation (this will take a while, unless we designate space reserved for automated cars and wirelessly designated as such (so the car knows its now in such a space)).

Believe!

The implementation would be simple as well: we already have HOV lanes with separating dividers, and manufactures would cry with joy if the government offered such an idea.

Just imagine:

100mph+ commute

no speeding tickets: EVER!

For CHEAP CHEAP!

Talk on your cell, type your report, make-out with your girlfriend, and eat your breakfast while you drive.

Reduced need for road space (automation highways only ever need 2 lanes, never more)

and reduced need for road space means More Highways vs. little streets, and better city-planning.

No traffic Jams: EVER!

(unless a tree fell across the highway, but then the police would be immediately notified & traffic would be back to 100mph in 15mins or less)

Answer 1

The air flow vacuum behind a car will reduce fuel consumption in the following car by about 15% Towing will reduce fuel consumption also depending on weights, engine size, gear ratios. speed, etc.

Answer 2

And we will call this city Utopia. Some things may seem good in theory but when reality shows its ugly head things go downhill quick.

I don't think the public is ready for this. It takes away the individuals input and he is no longer the master of his own destiny.

Can you imagine the diaster when you have a computer glitch, "Oh my God, the inhumanity of it"

At least you guys are thinking and that is a start, maybe we can start off with something less dramatic.

Good going guys, and Good luck

Answer 3

All fine and dandy until the first electronic or mechanical failure. This plan is absolutely insane.