- Videos from CES show how the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop operated at full capacity.
- Most users said the trip was seamless, but one video shows a minor traffic jam in the tunnels.
- The Boring Company's $52.5 million project opened in July and spans 1.7 miles.
Videos from the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas on Thursday show how The Boring Company's futuristic tunnel transportation system operated at full capacity in one of the first true tests for the system.
The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) Loop increased its fleet to 70 Teslas for the CES event, according to a report from Las Vegas Review-Journal. The event, which features major tech companies, including Mercedes-Benz, Samsung, and Panasonic, is running from Wednesday through Saturday. Only about 75,000 people are expected to attend — less than half the crowd seen the previous year.
Several CES guests took to social media to post videos of the LVCC Loop, which was designed to cut down on foot traffic, turning a 45-minute walk into a 2-minute trip.
While many users reported that the experience was seamless, one video appeared to show a minor traffic jam inside the tunnel.
In the YouTube video that was posted by Texas resident Benjamin Brochstein, the loop appears to be functioning as usual until the driver suddenly comes up on a line of Teslas in the single-lane tunnel, grinding the car's speed down to about five miles per hour.
Teslas in the tunnel can maintain a speed up to 40 miles per hour. The slowdown appeared to add just over a minute to a trip that was designed to take only about two minutes, according to the company's website. Though, TechCrunch reported in November that the company has been unable to hit its targets — averaging closer to 4 minutes.
In the video, the driver said the traffic was not typical, attributing the slowdown to a temporary closure of one of the exits in the three-station system.
The video spawned thousands of comments on Reddit and Twitter, as users expressed concern regarding what a major traffic jam could entail in the underground space. But, Brochstein told Insider he was surprised by the response to his video.
"I've taken the Loop five times so far, and there has been almost no wait to get into the cars. The ride is fast and easy, like a short Uber trip," he said. "At a show like CES, with so many things to see and do in such a short time, being able to save 15 or 20 minutes here and there really helps," Brochstein added.
Spokespeople from The Boring Company and the Las Vegas Convention Authority did not respond to a request for comment from Insider. Though, the company's CEO, Elon Musk, has been outspoken about how the tunnels can cut down on traffic jams in the past.
The LVCC Loop, a $52.5 million project, opened in July and is a three-station transport system with 1.7 miles of tunnels.
While Brochstein's video spurred concerns online regarding fire safety in the tunnel, local news has reported that the hyperloop drivers have been heavily trained for emergency situations. The tunnels are outfitted with fire detection and suppression systems, according to the company's website. Passengers can also easily exit the vehicles and walk to emergency exits.