The future is here. It took some time, but it has been officially announced that flying cars will soon hit the streets and the air in just a few years. Sure, The Simpsons predicted this technology becoming mainstream in 2010. But hey, better late than never, right?
Californian automaker, Alef Aeronautics has announced that it will showcase its first flying cars, called “Model A,” in October 2022. According to an official press release, the company claims that the vehicle has received a special Airworthiness Certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, making it the first of its kind to receive legal approval for airspace travel from the U.S. Government.
The company shared that it will demonstrate how these cars function, especially their flying and landing capabilities. The cars are also electric, so they could well end up being environmentally friendly. Alef Aeronautics’ CEO, Jim Dukhovny, shared excitement for the release of these cars and claims that these new forms of transportation will lead to “friendlier and faster commutes.”
“We’re excited to receive this certification from the FAA. It allows us to move closer to bringing people an environmentally friendly and faster commute, saving individuals and companies hours each week. This is a one small step for planes, one giant step for cars…”
The fantasy of flying cars has been depicted multiple times in the media through titles like The Simpsons, The Jetsons, and Star Wars, all of which go out of their way to demonstrate utopias in which airspace is used to fix congestion problems on the road. At the same time, there are also high-rise parking spaces that accommodate flying travelers.
While it would be cool to show off to other drivers on the road by flying your car to work, one has to ask, how will air travel be regulated? Will we need air traffic signs? What happens when cars collide? Will they fall down and wreak havoc? Do drivers now need to have a flying license? This isn’t Futurama where robot road officers exist to prevent cars from crashing to the ground. This is the 21st century, and we still haven’t mastered the self-driving car.
Speaking of self driving cars, Alef Aeronautics was backed by a Tesla and Space X investor, according to CNBC. Both have gone a long way to revolutionize their respective fields, but just be weary about what’s about to happen on American roads once these cars are out and about.
Also, who is willing to bet that there is going to be some dude who is going to attempt to modify his car just to travel to a different country without an airplane? I do hope Vin Diesel pays attention to this because I can see a new Fast and Furious come around from this.
If you’re still interested in getting a flying car, Business Insider reported that buyers can pay a $150 deposit for a general queue or $1500 for priority access. It was reported that 440 people have already signed up to purchase a car that can only fit two people and has a flying range of 110 miles.
The full price of the car is $300,000 and people are expected to see these cars on the ‘roads’ sometime in 2025. These cars can come in cheaper so than some Ferrari models, but definitely sit in that luxury car price bracket. But let’s be real, if you own a car that flies, it’s already beyond luxury.