Flying cars are not a new concept for sure, especially in today’s world where many inventions that once seemed far-fetched are becoming a reality now.
Some of these technologies have already entered our daily life – a wide use of smart watches or drones doesn’t surprise anyone anymore. Sooner rather than later we’ll also get used to autonomous cars or holograms.
It seems that only flying cars are not there yet … or are they already here? Let’s take a look at some facts, statistics and the latest developments in the field of autonomous traveling.
A Brief History on Flying Cars
Experiments related to flying cars can be tracked back to the 18th century to the French sailor, Jean Marie Le Bris. Fascinated by the sight of flying birds, Le Bris attempted to turn his horse-drawn cart into a flying vehicle and according to reports, he did manage to make a small flight though it wasn’t an entirely successful one.
Since then, there have been hundreds of such attempts, especially in the 20th century. In case of most of these inventors, their ideas and dedication were surely in the right direction but they failed simply because of the lack of technology.
Facts And Figures on Flying Cars
Up till now, more than 300 million dollars have been raised for flying car start-ups and many prominent corporations like Toyota have also been working on this technology. While most of the start-ups are US-based, many EU-based companies have also been making headlines lately with Lilium and Volocopter being two of the most cash-loaded inventions.
Uber aims to commercially launch its five-seater, flying hybrid car by 2023 while the German company, Lilium, might be all set for its first manned test flight as soon as this year!
An article by Akura Kwanga here on TechAtLast talks about the possibilities of an airborne Bartini blockchain taxi. Bartini Aerotaxi will become first man’s wheels in the air made possible by disruptive blockchain technology! The credit of that goes to the emerging blockchain technology that is powering the project.
Terrafugia flying car project is yet another interesting air travel project that we’ve been watching for a very long time. They’ve been able to make a lot of progress in the product developments, left for general acceptability and international aviation laws drafted in place to favour its growth.
Consumer Attitudes
A survey done by University of Michigan showed that only 64.8% of the respondents were aware of the concept of flying cars. However, once the idea was explained to them, almost all the respondents showed an avid interest in the technology.
Most respondents felt that the biggest benefit would be the shortening of travel time, but at the same time, they were also concerned about safety and the environment. Considering the growing numbers of eco-conscious consumers, it’s no wonder that more than 60% respondents think that flying cars should be electrically powered.
The Impact
Once flying cars become a reality, they won’t just make traveling more convenient but they’ll be bringing about many other changes too. With fewer cars, the congestion on roads will be reduced and this might even make them safer. The prices of non-flying cars will also go down and so might the insurance premiums.
When it comes to urban landscape, we would probably have taller buildings with parking spaces on top of them. There would obviously be new laws to regulate the traffic in the sky and you would need new licenses to be able to fly. Of course this is all just speculation for now and only time will tell how things actually turn out.
Why This Is The Right Time
When flying car experiments have been failing for centuries, what makes us feel like we won’t fail this time? Well, we finally have the required technology and we already see its potential. Given the fact that the drone related technology has boosted many businesses in industries such as agriculture and construction, a similar ROI is expected from flying cars.
The other factor that is driving this area forward is the marketing momentum that this concept has gained which is why major industry players are willing to invest in it. With these factors in favor of flying cars, most analysts and researchers believe that within the next two decades, flying cars will become a part of the mass market.
Summing up, with so many major players on board, the concept of flying cars does not feel like a dream anymore. However, there are still certain technological limitations, governmental regulations and cost constraints due to which we can’t expect to be flying off on holidays too soon. Nevertheless, we are likely to, in the future!
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