Could Flying Cars Actually Be On Their Way?

[dlevere]

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday August 14, 8:16 P.M.

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?

[ReyVGM]

Flying cars? Fuck that, I'm still waiting for my Hover Board.

[AsPika2219]

OR waiting for other flying transports just like in Star Trek series for future time!

[Lazy Bastard]

I've always felt that flying cars would be pointless. If there were no roads (even virtual roads to guide these flying cars), people would constantly crash into each other, with no survivors. If there were roads, we'd be wasting huge amounts of energy to make cars fly that could be doing effectively the same thing on the ground.

[Pyriel]

Depends. If you can marry flying cars with a good, alternative fuel source, and maintain existing roadways as guides, it sort of works in theory. Instead of needing to maintain roadways that are several inches of concrete, rebar, asphalt, etc., you just need a half-assed surface that can serve as a set of boundary lines. This requires quite a few new developments, so I'm not saying we're inches away from this, but I can see a pathway to it being practical or even more cost-effective for governments. For people, well, you'd probably need to be the type who could have a "Lamborghini vs. Flying Car" dilemma for this to even matter, at least until around generation 10 of the flying car.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Yea, surrre... Just like I remember when solar energy was the big talk of the 1980's and how in a few years, EVERYONE will have solar panels on top of their roof. Well, that obviously never happened. But we are making strides because recently PSEG has placed solar panels on every telephone poll in my town. I wonder if any of your towns have done this as well? (sorry for hijack)

[Lazy Bastard]

I think the only reason local governments are using solar power is because the federal government pays them to do so. Looking at alternative energy sources, I've found that the equipment is quite expensive, and although you'd think that cost would be recouped in a few years, it seems they all have wear and tear issues that require you to replace some of the more expensive parts every few years...so essentially, you're 'saving' the environment at the expense of yourself. If you're going to do that, just commit suicide; it'll be much more effective.

Nevertheless, I'd love if we could find a source that WAS more cost-effective that coal/oil/etc, and I'm glad people are working on alternative energy sources.

[Helder]

If only the big corporations and government would allow such energies to be "released" to the public. In the end it all come down to money and if they can't have you coming back for more or a way to be constantly charging you then it will be a long time before these energies emerge.