Covid-19 Casts a Dark Cloud Over the Flying Car Future

Flying cars

A few months ago, there was a regular stream of stories about exciting futurist technologies in motoring and transport.  David Brown says we are now in a different world.

COVID-19 has made us rethink what is essential

Technologies like the flying car, once thought of as an essential component of modern cities, may not get off the ground in the near future.

Corporate highflyers were keen to be the pioneers.  Not long ago Uber said that Melbourne and three other cities will soon get a demonstration service of flying taxis.

Worldwide 250 companies are working on technologies related to flying cars.

Coronavirus means that there is less customers for luxuries AND the financial basis of the companies that are trying to elevate their vision is under threat.  Boeing and Airbus, for example, were keen but the airline industry now has other more pressing concerns.

Motoring Minutes are heard around Australia every day on over 50 radio channels through the Torque Radio networkMotoring Minutes have an average daily audience of over 150,000 listeners. Motoring Minutes are also broadcast as part of Overdrive Radio Program, which is broadcast through the Community Radio Network across Australia and has a weekly audience of over 430,000. 

About David Brown 607 Articles
David’s boyhood passion for motor cars did not immediately lead to a professional role in the motor industry. A qualified Civil Engineer he specialised in traffic engineering and transport planning. What followed were various positions including being seconded to a government think-tank for the planning of transport firstly in Sydney and then for the whole of NSW. After working with the NRMA and as a consultant he moved to being an independent writer and commentator on the broader areas of transport and the more specific areas of the cars we drive. His half hour motoring program “Overdrive” has been described as an “informed, humorous and irreverent look at motoring and transport from Australia and overseas”. It is heard on 22 stations across Australia. He does weekly interviews with several ABC radio stations and is also heard on commercial radio in Sydney. David has written for metropolitan and regional newspapers and has presented regular segments on metropolitan and regional television stations. David is also a contributor for AnyAuto