Do you know the film The Fifth Element (1997)? The film is set in the 23rd century and the fate of Earth lies in the hands of Korben Dallas, played by Bruce Willis. If you have seen the film, you will surely remember Dallas travelling in a flying taxi.
What it turns out is, we probably won't even have to wait two hundred years for the flying car to become a reality. In fact, Aircraft manufacturer Airbus wants to test a flying car as early as this year! Will we all have to hand in our driving licences for a pilot's licence soon?
It's unlikely to be that quick, but according to Airbus CEO Tom Enders, the flying car is a viable concept and definitely not a publicity stunt. He sees it as a solution for traffic jams, particularly in large cities. So it turns out the recently opened A2 Tunnel in Maastricht will have been for nothing after all!
The prototype that Airbus hopes to demonstrate by the end of this year will be a one-seater, capable of vertical take-off and landing, much like a helicopter. If it's up to the manufacturer, the flying car will be market-ready in four years. Yes, you read that right: four years!
Airbus is not the only one with plans for a flying car. The American Terrafugia is working on a ‘roadable aircraft’. Their first model, The Transition, can already be pre-ordered via the internet!
The immensely wealthy Larry Page, co-founder of Google, is also working on a flying car under the name Zee. Page is reportedly already one step ahead of Airbus, as two prototypes are said to have already made test flights.
Below is a video about 4 cars that are already flying:
Last week, I read a report that in Dubai, for the first time, single-person drones will be used as taxis next summer. You can read the message here.
Another message from last week: The Dutch company PAL-V announces a production version of their first flying car. You can already reserve the first order…
Whoever is the first to market with it, an (affordable) flying car would have far-reaching consequences for the way we travel and for our urban landscape. How do you navigate? Or does a flying car ‘drive’ completely autonomously? Questions, questions, and more questions. The future will tell.
Update December 2017: I read this article about flying cars which is currently topical: Are flying cars coming to the skies?
What do you think: is it realistic to think that we will see the first flying cars on our streets in four years' time? And would you yourself fly in such a vehicle, or would you rather keep your feet firmly on the ground? Do you want a Car hire in the Stein region, just on the road? That’s possible at Adrem!
