The Austrans mass transit rail system, an Australian-designed rapid ultra-light rail system that combines the flexibility and comfort of car travel with the ease of an elevator, is edging towards realisation. With low set-up, running and energy costs there is hope that it may be a feasible step toward greater public transport use in car-heavy cities. Better still, predictive transport software developed by CSIRO has shown it could run to passenger demand, rather than a timetable.