Ilon Mask told why he started drilling tunnels

Traffic congestion is a problem not only in megacities, but also in relatively small cities. Over time, this problem is exacerbated. What could be the solution? Google and several other companies believe that flying cars can help overcome the problem. Larry Page even created a startup Zee.Aero, which is developing a new type of vehicle. But not everyone agrees with this point of view.

Back in March 2015, Ilon Mask said that he considers flying cars to be an interesting project, since he likes everything flying. But to solve the problem of traffic jams, in his opinion, you can not rise into the air, but on the contrary, going down under the ground. This idea was expressed in a humorous form and was perceived as a joke. But Musk was not joking at all - he spoke very seriously, albeit with a smile on his face. This became clear two years later, when the head of SpaceX and Tesla Motors created another company - The Boring Company (TBC). She will be engaged in the development of transport tunnels at a depth of 15 meters and below.

“We’re drilling, that's what we are doing,” said Musk in 2016. “I'm really going to do this.” His words turned out to be true: Mask had already begun to dig, planning to create a test tunnel. First, he digs it on the site owned by SpaceX, in order to avoid problems with the law and not spend time getting permission to carry out land work. But when (and if) the tunnel goes beyond the SpaceX site, then permission will still have to be obtained.
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Ilon Musk began to think about the tunnels after several times got into traffic jams in Los Angeles. After some time, a clear idea emerged, and after conducting a brainstorming session, Musk realized what an underground transportation system should be about. He acquired the domain BoringCompany.com, created the company and put in charge of its leader - Steve Davis, senior engineer of SpaceX. Together with other employees, they outlined the contours of their project. According to the team, in order to solve the transport problem of cities in problem areas from the point of view of road traffic, a multi-level network of underground road and rail tunnels should be created. As for the railway, here we are talking not about the metro, but about the routes for high-speed trains Hyperloop.

Musk with his project is the best suited for the implementation of one of the plans of the new US President Donald Trump. The politician is a hot fan of creating new elements of the US transport infrastructure. This implies the construction of highways, bridges, airports and tunnels. The intention to engage in the creation of new roads, airports and other elements of the transport infrastructure, Trump said even at his inauguration. Private companies operating in this area have now begun to receive investments. For example, a small company Blackstone and Carlyle received $ 40 million for the development of its projects related to transport infrastructure.


Source: Bloomberg Businessweek (Feb. 20-26)

Mask always wanted a lot, and transport is no exception. And now he decided to try his hand also in this project. TBC is a company completely independent of its other projects. So far, there is neither a clear business model, nor full-time employees. As for the first, here, clearly, the main role will be played by public investment. If they are received, the employees will not be slow to appear. But in order for the state to provide funds, officials need to show something. And with this something Mask will make the test tunnel under construction now.

A businessman is going to improve, if not drastically change, the technology of creating tunnels. SpaceX's manager compares the current project, TBC, with the space industry. He was able to significantly reduce the cost of launching a rocket into space, which made it possible to conclude a contract with NASA for $ 1.6 billion. The project author believes that it will be possible to do the same with the transport infrastructure - to reduce the cost of building tunnels, making them more modern. Sources close to Mask argue that TBC will be part of Trump's transportation initiatives.


So now looks like the entrance to the future tunnel, which is going to dig Ilon Musk

He is going to dig tunnels with the help of a special earth-moving machine with a diameter of 7 meters and a length of 121 meters. This monster weighs about 1200 tons. The name of the car is female - “Nanny” (Nannie). By the way, new systems of this type cost about $ 15 million in the United States, but the Chinese were able to develop much cheaper units for laying tunnels. As for Nanny, it was developed and created by the German company Herrenknecht. This installation is able to move underground 7.5 cm per minute, 90 meters per week.

Experts believe that Musk is overly optimistic. Oxford professor Bent Flyvbjerg (Bent Flyvbjerg), who has been studying large-scale infrastructure projects for a long time, says that the average cost of a bridge or tunnel project usually grows by 32% in monetary terms compared to the planned figure. As for the time, compared to the plan, it usually takes 22% more time.

The professor supports the Mask project, saying that the idea itself has many flaws and not completely clear points, but, in general, everything is feasible. The main thing, says the scientist, is to optimize the construction process using simple techniques. For example, it is worth keeping a large number of spare parts with you so that you do not have to stop building for a long time due to waiting for the arrival of another part. “This is the only sector of the economy that has not improved productivity over the past 50 years,” says the professor, referring to the transport sector. So, the Mask has something to improve and improve.