The CEETI evaluation team rated the five Top Tier dual mode concepts for their technology readiness with regard to twenty-six "critical technologies" – critical to either vehicle automation or to alternative power. The ranking system is based on the Department of Defense Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) Deskbook, which uses a scale from 1 to 9 where 1 is "basic scientific principles observed and reported" and 9 is "production version system proven through successful commercial operation". The rankings are reported in Table 7. of the report and are recreated below, except that the order of the critical technologies has been changed to group those related to vehicle automation and guideway operation separately from those related to alternative power through guideway electrification. In addition, where CEETI entered a value of N/A where a critical technology was not applicable, in this table N/A is given a value of "9" (shown in boldface), reflecting that the technology is either supplied through an alternate means or is unnecessary – either way, that particular critical technology is effectively resolved for that system.

Finally, the ratings are averaged for the purpose of generating a rough comparison of the Top Tier systems. This crude approximation of technology readiness is subtotaled for both vehicle automation and alternative power, and an overall total is generated at the bottom for all critical technologies together. While this unweighted averaging of the critical technologies is imperfect, CEETI offers no suggestion for relative weighting beyond the variance in Technology Readiness Level which is captured in the averages.

Not surprisingly, all the systems rank quite close on the technologies related to vehicle automation, though QwikLane noses out the alternatives. However, because QwikLane relies on the existing forms of automobiles (limited by weight) for vehicle power, it has no readiness issues related to powering the vehicle. The overall QwikLane rating of 6.25 substantially exceeds that of the closest system at 4.58. This analysis underscores the points raised in the preceding analysis that requiring an electrified guideway adds substantial and unnecessary risk to the development and deployment of a dual mode transportation infrastructure.

From Table 7: Critical Technology Elements and Readiness for Selected Systems. Critical Technology System A System B System D System E System F PRISM QwikLane MegaRail RUF MonoMobile      Vehicle Automation 1. Communications 5 5 5 5 5 2. Control System 3 3 3 3 3 3. Advanced Sensors 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4. Routing Algorithms 3 3 3 3 3 5. Guideway Brake 9 9 9 3 9 6. Guideway Traction - Tire/Pavement 4.5 4.5 4 4.5 4.5 7. Tires - Speed 5 5 5 9 9 8. Tires - Run Flat 9 9 9 9 9 9. Guideway Tire 9 9 9 6 4 10. Materials - Manufacturability, Cost 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 11. Check-In, Check-Out - Vehicle/Driver Accept. 2 2 2 2 2 12. Merge/Diverge Mechanism and Process 2 2 2 2 1 13. Interface for Regular Traffic 2 2 2 2 2 14. Breakdown Allowance 2 2 2 2 2 15. Evacuation Process/Means in Emergency 1 1 2 1 1 16. All-Weather Operation 3 3 3 3 3 17. Articulated Axle 9 9 2 2 9 18. Pallet Latch 2 9 2 9 2 Subtotal Vehicle Automation Technologies   79.50 90.50 73.00 74.50 77.50 Items Rated   18 18 18 18 18 Average Rating   4.42 5.03 4.06 4.14 4.31                    Alternative Power 1. Power Trsfr (Capacity, Stability, Efficiency) 1 9 1 1 1 2. High Speed Power Connect/Disconnect 2 9 2 2 2 3. Hi Volt/Speed Elec. Motor,Cost/Effic./Dura. 2 9 2 2 4 4. Vehicle Charging (Regulating Charge Speed) 9 9 9 9 9 5. Electric Grid Compatibility 4.5 9 4.5 4.5 4.5 6. Shielding - Mag Field, High Volt Health Haz. 5 9 5 5 5 7. Battery 9 9 9 9 9 8. Reactive Power Compensation 7 9 7 7 7 Subtotal Alternative Power Technologies   39.5 72 39.5 39.5 41.5 Items Rated   8 8 8 8 8 Average Rating   4.94 9 4.94 4.94 5.19               Combined Total for All Critical Technologies   119.00 162.50 112.50 114 119 Items Rated   26 26 26 26 26 Average Rating   4.58 6.25 4.33 4.38 4.58  N.B.: Where the original table entered 4/5, the number 4.5 is substituted