Jalopnik: A 'Flying Car' Was Just Cleared For Takeoff

[Cooked Crack]

Quote

For years, we’ve been promised real flying cars that could revolutionize the way we travel around but, for the most part, every startup that’s come and gone has just tried to sell us some kind of small quadcopter passed off as a flying car. That just won’t do. Now, a company in California has been granted approval from the Federal Aviation Agency to begin testing its flying car, which actually looks like a car.

 

The Model A is a new concept from a company called Alef, which has been working on the all-electric flying car since 2015. Unlike the electric quadcopters that companies like Stellantis and United are backing, this one actually works as a car. According to Alef, it should be able to cover 200 miles on the road or 110 in the air per battery cycle.

Quote

Now, Flying reports that the FAA has approved the craft for takeoff as an experimental aircraft, making it the first “true” flying car design to be approved by the U.S. Government. Of course, “true” has to be highlighted here, as other “flying cars” have gained similar approval, but their fixed-wing designs limit their takeoffs to airports.

• As Flying reports:     
  Alef’s Model A, though, is designed to enable takeoff in dense urban settings. Following the Santa Clara, California-based startup’s emergence from stealth in October, CEO Jim Dukhovny explained that the vehicle will primarily drive on roads but will allow users to ‘hop’ around obstacles such as ‘road conditions, weather, and infrastructure’.

Quote

But what is it? Well, it’s basically a mesh frame that gives the Model A its car-like looks, in the middle is a cabin that has space for a driver and one passenger. At each corner of the mesh frame is a wheel with an independent motor, and underneath the bodywork are eight propellers that give the Model A its lift.

https://jalopnik.com/a-possible-flying-car-was-just-cleared-for-takeoff-1850595130

 

 

Are you ready to fly into an event like this?

Spoiler

 

 

[Larry]

 

It's probably better described as "a person-carrying drone".  

 

But Mega Cool.  

 

[LadySkinsFan]

My question: does it fold up into a briefcase?

[TradeTheBeal!]

I’m only interested in a flying car if it has the track manners of an 04 Miata.

[CousinsCowgirl84]

With that much air space it doesn’t seem like it will have a very high range… I’m assuming it is electric? 200 miles seems a little optimistic….

[China]

I'll be the Debbie Downer by pointing out the same thing I do whenever another one of these things comes out:

 

People suck at driving in two dimensions.  Giving them a vehicle and asking them to navigate in three dimensions is just asking for trouble.  So I don't think this will ever be something that the average Joe has and uses, because we'd have too many accidents.

[Renegade7]

25 minutes ago, China said:

I'll be the Debbie Downer by pointing out the same thing I do whenever another one of these things comes out:

 

People suck at driving in two dimensions.  Giving them a vehicle and asking them to navigate in three dimensions is just asking for trouble.  So I don't think this will ever be something that the average Joe has and uses, because we'd have too many accidents.

 

Agreed,it wouldn’t be a drivers license, it'd need to be something else.

 

Then we have to accept **** happens and the future will involve cars falling out the sky at some point. 

 

We aren't the species we may have hoped we were or thought we were when we first started dreaming of flying cars, and we haven't changed much either since then.

[Destino]

1 hour ago, China said:

I'll be the Debbie Downer by pointing out the same thing I do whenever another one of these things comes out:

 

People suck at driving in two dimensions.  Giving them a vehicle and asking them to navigate in three dimensions is just asking for trouble.  So I don't think this will ever be something that the average Joe has and uses, because we'd have too many accidents.

This is easily remedied, just harden your heart. I won’t have your emotional need to keep everyone safe and alive stop us from getting what we were promised.  

[PokerPacker]

1 hour ago, China said:

I'll be the Debbie Downer by pointing out the same thing I do whenever another one of these things comes out:

 

People suck at driving in two dimensions.  Giving them a vehicle and asking them to navigate in three dimensions is just asking for trouble.  So I don't think this will ever be something that the average Joe has and uses, because we'd have too many accidents.

Get all of the bad drivers off the roads and into the air and leave the roads to us good drivers.  That should free up the roads.

[PleaseBlitz]

God, just imagine Maryland drivers in one of these things. 

[Metalhead]

1 hour ago, PokerPacker said:

Get all of the bad drivers off the roads and into the air and leave the roads to us good drivers.  That should free up the roads.

 

I like where this is going. For starters...

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by Metalhead

[Destino]

1 hour ago, PokerPacker said:

Get all of the bad drivers off the roads and into the air and leave the roads to us good drivers.  That should free up the roads.

People want walkable cities right? Well they can walk all they want once the drivers have been feed from the constraints of asphalt and lifted into the heavens as we were promised. Just step around the occasional burning wreckage.