Flying cars have been the stuff of future-predicting movies for decades now, and with their development seemingly pushed back further and further, the public at large has become rather skeptical about their possibility.
According to a recent Reportlinker report, however, more than 20 top tech companies are investing significant resources in the research and development of flying cars, including Google, Uber, Boeing and Audi.
This means flying cars could be just around the corner.
The First Functional Flying Car By 2022, Hopes Google
Both Google and various OEMs are hoping to create a fully functional flying car by late 2022, a project which could completely revolutionize personal transportation and further the development of groundbreaking aerospace technologies.
Before we see any large scale use of flying cars, however, a number of legal barriers must be overcome. The airspace legislation is extremely stringent, and adding more vehicles to an already crowded airspace won’t be an easy task. To be able to fly, such vehicles will need to comply with FAA (US Federal Aviation Administration) and EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) regulations. The first steps towards trialing flying car technologies have already been made, according to the report.
Among the companies currently investing in flying car technologies are leading tech companies such as Amazon and Uber, as well as renowned car brands like Audi, Toyota and Tesla.
According to the report, the key players in the R&D of flying cars are the following:
• AeroMobil
• Airbus S.E
• Amazon.com, Inc.
• Audi AG
• Delorean Aerospace, LLC
• Detroit Flying Cars
• Kalashnikov
• Kitty Hawk
• Lazzarini Design Studio
• Macro Industries, Inc.
• Moller International
• Neva Aerospace Ltd
• Nirvana Systems Ltd (Nirvana Autogyro)
• PAL-V International BV
• Terrafugia
• Tesla, Inc.
• The Boeing Company
• Toyota Motor Corporation (Cartivator or SkyDrive Inc.)
• Uber Technologies Inc.
• Vaylon SAS
The full report offers an overview of the concepts developed by each company, as well as comparisons between the different flying car technologies. Also included is an analysis of the challenges facing the industry, as well as other essential information.
The report aims to facilitate research for automotive OEMs, component suppliers, researchers in various fields, market analysts, investors and other interested parties.
