The Flying Car Concept, 1951

The flying car is one of the most enduring anticipation about future transportation (here depicted as an helicopter-like vehicle) and an pervasive theme in science fiction (e.g. Blade Runner, Back to the Future, etc.). It essentially represents the utmost in terms of personal mobility and freedom that can conceptualized by the general population; thus its enduring popularity. Even if technically feasible, the diffusion of flying cars to the general public remain quite unlikely (there is a niche potential) mainly because their energy consumption per passenger-km would be prohibitive in addition to create complex navigation and air traffic management situations. Without close to complete automation, operating a vehicle in a three dimensional environment remains hazardous to the bulk of the population.

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