We have heard about flying cars in science fiction films and cartoons such as “The Jetsons” for some time now, but it appears as though the concept of a “flying car” is coming closer to a reality than ever. Specifically, the aerospace company Boeing has just successfully tested an autonomous flying car prototype.
The aerospace giant is attempting to revolutionize urban travel by creating a car that can travel over streets and weave in and out of skyscrapers, for example. The company confirmed yesterday that its prototype “hovered briefly” during a test flight, although it did not indicate how long it did so.
About The Car
For those wondering about the design of the car, the aircraft is 30-feet long, and is an amalgam of various well-known vehicles. Specifically, the aircraft is something like a part-helicopter, part-drone, and part winged-plane. Apparently, the flights in the future will focus on airborne winged flights.
John Langford, who is CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences (whose parent company is Boeing), believes that this is a huge step towards the future, stating: “This is what revolution looks like, and it’s because of autonomy.” Aurora Flight Sciences is the subsidiary of Boeing that is focused on autonomous vehicles.
Potential Hurdles
Of course, it’s important to state that it will be a while before you see any flying cars buzzing above the streets anytime soon. First and foremost, there is a whole range of logistical and regulatory hurdles preventing the cars from being used, not to mention the fact that safety has to be considered with aircrafts of this kind.
