Regrettably, the 1960s space age-themed animation, The Jetsons, caused quite a misinterpretation in many minds who thought they’d be navigating the world in flying vehicles by the time they outgrew their childhood. This lingering obsession appears to reside chiefly among certain fellows, usually ones hailing from Silicon Valley. Apologies, but the fascination does predominantly concern men. Many women engaged in the tech world or writing about it, almost unanimously consider this incessant fixation a major tale of mockery. Most of us are indifferent to the concept of flying automobiles.
Folks of a certain age might recollect the wave of anticipation Silicon Valley exhibited at the prospect of the Segway, a bulky two-wheeled self-stabilising scooter, prior to its official unveiling in 2001. There was wide-ranging conjecture, fuelled by promises of a groundbreaking invention that would alter transport and eradicate traffic issues, that the innovation would involve a floating or flying contraption. Instead, the novelty turned out to be an earth-bound, geeky scooter that was engaging but failed to revolutionise transport, falling short of the Star Wars flying motorcycle speculation.
There’s renewed chatter in news outlets about the looming reality of flying cars – either through human-operated drones or through the classic, James Bond-style motorcars equipped with wings, with a dash of Marty McFly. Recently, the UK government launched its “Future of Flight” scheme – a bold move that mirrors the grown-up Conservative party’s adventurous ethos – that predicts the launch of airborne taxis within two years and a nationwide service by 2028.
Regrettably, the current ground infrastructure – a deteriorating subway system in London and a national rail network that’s been in decline, pricey, and disconnected ever since the Conservatives opted for privatisation in 1994 – is in dire straits. The supposed panacea to this transportation catastrophe is, evidently, flying cabs.
As expected, Silicon Valley is a hotbed of such visionary plans. The jam-packed Valley highways are routinely cited as the primary reason for the necessity of air taxis. It raises the argument: why endure a gridlocked Highway 101 when a 15-minute aerial trip between Santa Clara and San Francisco is a potential alternative?
Two Californian firms, Alef, a firm specialising in electric sky sports cars, and Joby Aviation, have both proposed the concept of electric aerial commuting. Both businesses have been granted limited Federal Aviation Authority approval for their endeavors. The idea of “electric aerial ride-sharing,” which Joby introduced, was explained by a female executive in 2021 during a discussion with McKinsey consultants. She envisioned a smooth, cost-effective, and convenient future commute that would amalgamate three distinct modes of conveyance, including two cars on terrestrial roads, and completing the entire journey within an hour.
However, critics question the proposed transistor’s affordability, efficiency, and potential for environmental noise pollution. The proposition from the UK suggests it would only take 10 minutes from a passenger’s arrival at an air taxi dock to departure, which skeptics find hard to believe considering the patterns at conventional airports. Safety screenings and identity checks would be paramount due to the unique security risks posed by air ride-sharing. Doubts are raised about the reach of this futuristic commuting method, as it seems catered primarily towards affluent tech moguls vexed by local traffic, often caused by employees commuting to their businesses.
In an optimistic projection, Joby predicted the aerial commuting service would be operational by 2024 – an assertion that now appears unlikely. A precedent of such overconfident estimations can be seen in Uber’s former air taxi division, UberAir, which predicted a 2023 roll-out before winding up in 2020 and being absorbed by Joby. Similarly, Google offshoot KittyHawk, heavily invested in by co-founder Larry Page, spent years and vast sums on its Flyer vehicle, which was later deemed an expensive “solution in search of a problem,” leading to the company’s dissolution in September 2022.
Reflecting on an encounter I had at the Merrion Hotel towards the end of 2008, I recall a confident prediction from a Virgin Galactic executive. He declared that space tourism would be open for business by 2010. Although it is now fifteen years on, space tourism remains a luxury experience primarily available to affluent tech moguls and billionaires.
Perhaps a more practical approach would be to strengthen global government spending on domestic public transportation, funnel funds towards research into more environmentally friendly means of transport, and restructure our urban landscapes to enhance liveability. Granted, it may seem less thrilling than the concept of vehicles soaring through the sky, but these are concrete solutions to tangible issues.