'Wired' Roads Could Power Electric Cars As You Drive

A new wireless power system could help people avoid the inevitable jumbled mess of

tangled cords and offer a more efficient way to charge electric vehicles on the go, according to a new study. Researchers at Stanford University adapted a concept from quantum physics to produce a wireless charger that does something other wireless chargers cannot: automatically tune the frequency of the radio wave — the medium that transfers the power — to account for changes in the distance between the charging pad and the device. In an experiment, the team showed that its system transferred power with 100 percent efficiency up to about 27 inches (70 centimeters). "The range is perfect for electric cars," Sid Assawaworrarit, a doctoral candidate in electrical engineering at Stanford University, told Live Science. "The floor of a car is about 20 centimeters [8 inches] away from the road's surface. You could embed the charging pad below the road surface." [Hyperloop, Jetpacks & More: 9 Futuristic Transit Ideas]