Morgan Stanley Research expects flying electric cars to start taking off soon, according to CNBC. The American multinational investment bank’s think-tank moreover expects the global market to grow to $1.5 trillion by 2040. The analysts believe flying taxis are ready thanks to a confluence of technologies.
The Confluence of Technologies Assuring Flying Taxis Are Ready
The diverse, yet interconnected elements include remotely controlled drones and autonomous cars. These in turn depend on adequate batteries and advanced fabrication tools. Airbus, Boeing, Hyundai, Toyota, and Uber are all pouring in money because they know the pickings will be rich.
CNBC says flying taxis are ready to ferry passengers from urban hubs to well-heeled suburbs. However, customers are likely to be people with money to spend on avoiding traffic congestion. There are also undeniable benefits to taking automobiles off the road.
How High Could We Fly on the Way Home?
Morgan Stanley Research predicts cruising speeds of 180 miles-per-hour at 1,000-foot altitudes. NASA, which is always reaching for the sky says electric taxis could reach 5,000 feet. CNBC says Uber is pushing hard because it knows flying electric cars will change the urban transport landscape. However, those flying taxis will be different from the vehicles we dreamed of while watching Back to the Future, and The Jetsons.
While some have rotating wings eliminating runways, others are drone-like quadcopters. But there are still practical details to consider, and there are no generally accepted safety standards yet to guide designers.
There’s also the by-no-means-small matter of consumer confidence. Basketball legend Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crash highlighted the point there is no such thing as a gliding chopper. The ongoing controversy around Boeing 737 MAX has raised concerns in the public mind about rushing airplanes to market. Flying taxis are ready to disrupt but their customers may not be ready for them.
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Preview Image: Hyundai Uber Partnership Design
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