The following technology areas are addressed in the transportation category. Aerodynamics, Avionics and Controls, Propulsion and Power, Systems Integration, and Human Interface. At a more specific technology level, the report discusses aircraft and surface vehicle aerodynamics, aircraft and spacecraft avionics, surface transportation controls, aircraft turbines and spacecraft power systems. At the level of systems integration and human-machine interface, the report discusses intelligent transportation systems, spacecraft and aircraft integration, human factors engineering (as it relates to transportation systems) and spacecraft life support systems. The U.S. has preeminence in most transportation areas, except for Western European developments in commercial aircraft technology, the leadership of France, Germany and Japan in fielding high speed rail systems, and German and Japanese advances in maglev technology.

The area of intelligent transportation systems is one where the U.S., Western Europe, and Japan are all engaged in various private and public efforts to develop more effective and efficient surface transportation systems. This area will ultimately involve radical changes in both vehicular technology and infrastructure that have the capacity to alter the American transportation system by better incorporating modern information technology into virtually every phase of passenger and freight transportation including its inter-modal elements.