Will it ever be possible to have flying cars?
A dream came to Stefan Klein back when he was twenty years old. His ambition was to be the first person in the world to design and manufacture a flying car successfully.
And now we are fully conscious; we have witnessed the KleinVision car taking flight for the first time. Is this going to be the start of a brand-new era?
The 27th of October 2020 appeared to be an entirely typical day. People opened their eyes and saw the earth below them, filled with concern about the pandemic caused by Covid-19.
However, that day was unlike any other day because the YouTube network insisted that we look up at the clouds.
The company KleinVision has presented the world with an official video of the prototype of its flying car.
According to the company that produced it, it was the most recent generation of a flying car developed by the company KleinVision.
It could transition from a road to an aerial vehicle in fewer than three minutes.
In addition to its utility as a taxicab, it can also be used for pleasure driving and independent travel.
We were utterly in disbelief at what we saw, and other viewers’ reactions in the video comments reflected this.
For decades, we had been daydreaming about reaching such a significant milestone, but the reality was that we were beginning to lose hope.
A flying car in the year 2020 has become a popular topic of discussion on the internet.
People laughed in disbelief, and it appeared as though we had let down the generations before us who had faith that we would accomplish what they believed was possible.
How was it possible that despite the exponential growth of our technological capabilities, we had not yet mastered flying cars?
Recollections of times gone by
In his work titled Master of the World, the famous French author captured a car-plane ship called Terror on paper.
People at the turn of the 20th century were characterized by optimism, which led them to believe nothing was impossible.
It was only a matter of a few years before the most enterprising minds dreamed of being able to have everything in a single vehicle.
This dream became a reality when the Toyota Prius was released. At the Pan-American Aeronautical Exposition in 1917, the Autoplane Model 11 was displayed, but there is no evidence that it ever actually took to the air.
The Tamper Roadable biplane completed a flight of two kilometers around the city of Paris in the year 1921.
The beginnings appeared to hold promise, and people fantasized in books and comics about a world in which cars could fly.
However, a festival of setbacks, disappointments, and accidents began shortly after that.
Henry Smolinski’s vehicle was involved in a fatal accident during its premiere in 1973, and Leland Bryan passed away while testing a prototype the following year.
The Ford company’s project was halted because of accidents, and the ConvAirCar did not advance beyond the test flight in 1947. ..
Making flying cars became an impossible dream to pursue. Who would want to put their money into something like that?
In addition, the risk of losing an investment was no longer the only thing at stake; actual people’s lives were also in jeopardy.
It was generally agreed upon that the automobile was the only mode of transportation when traveling by road.
In contrast, the airplane or helicopter was considered the only mode of transportation when traveling by air.
The here and now
Because of the rugged terrain in the Waodani tribal area of Ecuador, Steve Saint was at his wits’ end.
He needed to traverse forests and swamps on foot, and when he reached his breaking point, he channeled all of his creativity into developing the Maverick in 2009.
The Maverick is an ultralight four-wheeled buggy propelled by a 250-horsepower Subaru engine and can go from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in just four seconds.
When it’s time to take off, the Maverick extends a glider by raising a mast over seven meters tall and activating it with a switch.
Instantaneously, the responsibility of flight is passed to a massive propeller located at the back of the vehicle. And it was successful. And you can participate in it even now.
The rebirth of hope had begun. Then, a plethora of fascinating projects kept under wraps to avoid labeling them as illusory was brought to light.
The Pegasus model, designed by Jerome Duffy, is one of the most significant projects.
It is a cross between a buggy and a paraglider, and it completed the crossing of the English Channel in less than an hour in 2017.
At the level of large corporations, Uber has invested 20 million Euros in developing the Elevate urban flight program in Paris to provide on-demand transportation.
In October 2016, Uber announced its Elevate program launch alongside its Urban Air Mobility study publication for the first time.
Since then, it has formed strategic alliances with seasoned aircraft manufacturers engaged in the research and development of electric vehicles.
On the other hand, Japan’s government and several technologies and automotive companies have agreed on a roadmap.
According to this roadmap, the year 2023 will mark the beginning of the commercialization of flying cars as well as the beginning of their widespread use in urban settings.
The public entity Entire in Spain has announced that it will participate in two European projects to bring demonstrations of aerotaxis to Barcelona and Santiago de Compostela in 2022.
Is KleinVision at the forefront of the industry?
Making a flying car can be accomplished in one of two ways: Think of it like a helicopter equipped with VTOL technology, which allows for vertical takeoff and landing, or you can think of it like an airplane, which is what KleinVision provides for us.
The first choice is the front-runner because it offers superior practicability in urban mobility.
The issue is that, up to this point, the prototypes either do not fly, we have not witnessed them flying, or they have a very restricted level of autonomy.
The KleinVision AirCar not only has an excellent look but also provides us with reassuring feelings that are conducive to traveling for extended periods.
Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, we will have to get used to having two cars, one for shorter journeys and one for longer ones.
A flying car that’s affordable for everyone?
The creative potential of humans is without bounds. In just a few short years, we have accomplished incredible things in the technology field, and the phenomenon does not appear to have any surprises left for us.
The possibility of flying automobiles is becoming more appealing to investors now that specific barriers have been broken down.
And when there is a steady flow of money, new ideas emerge.
Therefore, all of us are curious about the possibility of owning a flying car and whether it will become a reality before we are too old to enjoy it.
Let’s take a moment to consider the factors that will play a role in determining this situation’s outcome before responding to this question.
Technological advancement is indeed occurring, but technology is still a tool in the hands of man, who has not significantly altered his way of being or thinking in a significant way in many millennia.
We need to add the challenges posed by human behavior to the list of potential logistical issues that may surface.
And this is significant because scientists and technologists tend to think in harmless worlds where their contributions have no adverse effects.
Points are tallied in our favor.
No matter how you look at it, the idea that there exists a vehicle that is capable of providing the opportunity to fly is a fantasy.
It is always a latent desire on the part of drivers to arrive at their destination as quickly as possible while avoiding traffic jams, winding roads, and poor asphalt conditions.
Next, look at the (natural) strengths of these particular cars, the protagonists in several films set shortly.
+1 in ingenuity
As was mentioned earlier, the inventiveness of humans is without limits.
Not individual intelligence, but rather collective intelligence, with a multitude of specialists responsible for polishing every detail, regardless of how insignificant it may seem, these automobiles carry the most cutting-edge technology currently available on the market.
+1 Challenge
How many times have our attempts to build flying cars been unsuccessful, and how many have we tried again?
Being obstinate almost always provides us with a significant advantage, and every time someone has said that we can’t do something, another person has fought to make it happen.
If we have already launched rockets to the moon, nothing is stopping us from building highways in the sky.
1 point more in investment
For those forward-thinking companies, the prospect of putting millions of flying cars on the road and replacing an entire fleet of automobiles represents a significant financial opportunity.
And a savvy investor is aware of this fact.
Tickets are almost always an additional incentive offered by business owners.
+1 in terms of the environment and health
It has recently come to the attention of governments that have taken up the environmentalist cause that the liberation of urban and interurban space is one of their primary goals.
We are confident that they will allow the movement of these vehicles so that there will be space on the surface for traditional forms of public transportation and pedestrians walking.
+1 for driving assistance systems
Many arguments against it might be moot if safe automated driving could be achieved through AI.
Given that we do not possess significant flying experience, this must be our next battle.
Points against
There wasn’t long ago when flying vehicles were the stuff of science fiction, but now the idealized vision is becoming a reality.
We know that there are vehicles suitable for driving on roads but also capable of flying for short to medium distances.
But…Do we understand the problems that could arise from implementing them? Please have a look at them.
-1 in the number of licenses issued and in circulation
Driving a vehicle on the ground is significantly easier than driving a car in the air.
The implications of this raise far too many questions. It is certain that a specialized driver’s license, comparable to a right held by aircraft pilots, will be obligatory in the future.
It does not appear to be easy to determine where to drive, at what speed, and how to show consideration for other motorists.
There are already an unacceptable number of mishaps on the ground to even consider the possibility of them occurring in the air.
-1 in terms of controlling the border
When there are millions of cars driving around, it is impossible to implement any border control that takes place in the air.
We would have to consider a world with porous borders, which appears to be challenging.
-1 in terms of assistance provided while flying
Any issue that arises on the ground can be remedied by calling for a tow truck, but any malfunction or accident in the air results in a fatality.
Before implementing flying cars, they will need to conduct in-depth research on how to assist in the event of a requirement during an air emergency.
This is because the likelihood of surviving a plane crash is very low.
-1 in police controls
Many collisions result from drivers being overly intoxicated or distracted while behind the wheel.
What kind of a role will the police play in managing the air, and how exactly will they do that?
Having to modify all of the fleets of public service vehicles is unquestionably an endeavor that is both difficult and expensive.
on the runways: -1
Constructing runways and airstrips across the territory would be necessary, possibly making use of existing roads.
If there are already messes with bike lanes, imagine what would happen if we tried to implement runways.
Even so, a little chaos is anticipated because governments have not seriously considered implementing these vehicles.
If there are already messes with bike lanes, imagine what would happen if we tried to implement runways.
minus one point for both the cost of production and the weight of their batteries
Initially, flying cars would only be accessible to government agencies and wealthy individuals.
Therefore, acquiring one at a price that is within one’s budget will be challenging.
According to a study, a flying car’s CO2 emissions are six times higher than those of an electric vehicle during the same distance traveled (five kilometers). Hence, the aerodynamic design of this type of vehicle is essential for longer journeys and optimizing consumption.
Additionally, the weight of its batteries and wings limits the flight range of the vehicle.
And what kind of equilibrium do we achieve with the flying car?
At this point, we have a disadvantage due to many issues against us.
Even though flying models are expected to undergo significant development in the coming decades, there is still a considerable distance to travel before they become accessible to the general public.
Stop thinking of this vehicle as a car on the one hand and an airplane on the other; doing so is the most crucial step in solving all your problems.
We need to develop a comprehensive combination that will enable us to combine the beneficial aspects of conventional technological practices with the most cutting-edge advances in artificial intelligence.
We want to keep expanding our reach, but to do so, we will need more assistance increasingly from AI.
Fortunately, the opportunities they present are sufficient to meet the challenge.
The first vehicles included in this set will be those used for law enforcement (police, doctors, and so on), followed by taxis.
To pass the time until then, all we can do is a dream.
Let us not be afraid because, on occasion, our wildest hopes will come true (if we make an effort to make them come true).
¿Did you like the content?
