Could Flying Cars Actually Be On Their Way?

another random user writes "With ideas like the Taylor Aerocar, Terrafugia Transition, Terrafugia Transformer, the PAL-V, and myCopter, are we getting close to a point where flying cars could actually become practical? An article at the BBC discusses how adding automation to these craft is an important goal for the people currently working on them, something we see paralleled in the many projects to develop autonomous non-flying cars. 'The team intends to draw on drone technology to automate as much of the flying as possible. Current fly-by-wire technology, as well as some of the features being used in the development of autonomous or robotic vehicles could all help fleets of these vehicles fly along predefined highways – and crucially avoid each other. But perhaps the biggest problem the team aim to tackle are the regulatory and safety issues, as well as those of public opinion.' If that does happen, given a lot of drivers' inability to pay attention to what's going on around them on the roads as it is now, how safe would you feel in the air?"

Comments

In the air?

[Vekseid]

I'd like to continue feeling safe on the ground, thankyouverymuch.

Re:In the air?

[Anonymous Coward]

Flying -- with the notable exception of lighter-than-air such as gasbags -- is too energy intensive to be consumer-level practical at this point in time. Leaving out the technological, mass production, and licensing hurdles.

Until or unless we can come up with inexpensive energy, it's not going to happen other than as a rich person's option.

Most people are intimidated by the amount it costs to *drive* somewhere. The cost of flying is like the cost of boating... much, much higher than driving.

Re:In the air?

[sortius_nod]

I don't think I ever "feel safe" on the ground with the nutbag drivers on the roads. So many people do so many dangerous things in cars. You may think it's safe, but it really isn't.

The only way to feel safer is to remove humans from the equation. Google's unmanned car: 300 000 miles, 0 crashes. There's not many cars that can claim those kind of statistics

Re:In the air?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yet there are several 4 place aircraft which get better milage than an SUV at 4 times the speed, and the 2 place aircraft are better. When you start counting seat-miles, airplanes beat everything except train.

However, the FAA will kill this through regulation. Nothing in their charter requires them to allow aviation.

i hope never

[dmitrygr]

As a pilot, I really really really hope this never happens! Most people are BARELY able to keep in control of their vehicles in 2D, and are entirely unsuited for 3D. Keep them away from the skies, so that those of us who passed the difficult tests and demonstrated our ability to handle an aircraft safely can continue to be safe and remain not in danger of idiots cutting us off, not following rules, etc...

Re:i hope never

[JaredOfEuropa]

Meh... "real" bikers lament the increased popularity of motorcycles, and old school scuba nuts must hate PADI for making the underwater world accessible to all. I suppose it's only natural that pilots want the skies to themselves. Get off my lawn, but in 3D.

Still, one would hope that flying car pilots will have to pass the same rigorous difficulty tests, or keep their wheels firmly on the ground. And I think many will be unable to pass such a test. I agree with the article, and my money says flying cars will happen not before autonomous flight (including standard protocols for flight direction) becomes practical.

Re:i hope never

[Anonymous Coward]

As a pilot, I really really really hope this never happens! Most people are BARELY able to keep in control of their vehicles in 2D, and are entirely unsuited for 3D. Keep them away from the skies, so that those of us who passed the difficult tests and demonstrated our ability to handle an aircraft safely can continue to be safe and remain not in danger of idiots cutting us off, not following rules, etc...

As a person who wants flying cars and to be able to take naps on commutes, I disagree. This could be the break that autonomous land vehicles have been waiting for.

Step 1. Reserve flying car zones say, 500 feet.
Step 2. These zones would be for flying cars only. No ultralights, balloons, helicopters, small aircraft or lawn chairs allowed. Just flying cars.
Step 3. Make flying cars fully automated - no manual controls allowed. You want to go in a flying car? You let the robot drive. You want to drive yourself? You stick to two dimensions.

Sure, some people will die fiery deaths, but the convenience and time savings will push people to overlook it just as they do for conventional automobiles. Once road congestion is down on land, repeat the autonomous zone process with the now underutilized highway infrastructure.

Think further.

[trout007]

Imagine if you did have VTOL personal transports. You could eliminate roads. It would be like what is happening with cell phones eliminating land lines. You would save all of the money currently spent on maintaining infrastructure. Also sprawl would explode as people buy land without worrying about infrastructure. Land prices would plummet in most places.

If you think Amazon is fast now wait until you place an order and a VTOL drone drops off a package on your front door 10 minutes later.

It would be a VERY disruptive technology.