Japan to start discussions on flying cars

The technology has been a reality for several years now.

Chinese companies have already successfully demonstrated a one man flying ev over a 2-3 kilometer course under GPS guidance.

When the Japanese Diet is full of OAPs, we shouldn’t expect quick change in Japan (unfortunately)

Hopefully they figure out how to prevent gas pedal/brake confusion. I don't want Oyaji Jetson in my living room on the 2nd floor.

Make drivers get a pilot license to drive one of these. Most drivers have enough trouble handling two dimensions. Don't give them another one to stuff up.

They need to wait until the locals can handle driving normal cars and trucks first. Say about 50 or 60 years.

Suga said the government hopes flying cars will also play a role in mountainous areas and remote islands as well as in the event of natural disasters.

They already have them. They are called, helicopters.

airborne cars are great, but it'll probably congest the airport (assuming it's not a VTOL aircraft) and landing anywhere would be dangerous. But, i'm interested how this would play out

Jetson's getting into fruition.

Ever thought how "crowded" the sky already is..?

And... any "failure" or "accident" in the sky above or the air above will always be related to the "danger" below which is almost impossible to "defend" or "protect" against..?

How about getting self-driving cars on the ground working first?!

If they dont crash into combini

Meet George Jetson.

His boy Elroy.

Daughter Judy.

Jane, his wife.

Japanese have enough problems driving cars on the road.

In any case, to study the possibility is needed in any country today... It is the technology already available...

It is the risk and management of the traffic and users that becomes a major problem, regardless of AI, automation and robotics.

The second thing is to remember that all vehicles require "land", a place to stop and park. Unless anti-gravity technology allows "hover" there will be a major "space" problem.

The third thing -s how in the mid-air one is to determine "the right of way"?

In any case "gravity" rules.., and the insurance companies will be having a field day while the air traffic police (if there is to be any) will be extremely frustrated.

All this driverless and now flying car nonsense is cloud cuckoo land.  Will only be a niche area of the broader transport landscape for a long time to come.

Personally, I think these guys have seen 'The fifth Element' and 'Star Wars' too many times. Yeah, the technology may very well be there, but the logistics and infrastructure make it impossible and nothing more than a sci-fi dream. They should stop wasting their time, money and brain power on trivial sci-fi dreams and focus on more pressing issues. They could start with alternative energy development to reduce the CO2 in the atmosphere and oceans and then move on to getting the plastics out of the oceans as well. There will not be a world populated by humans for them to fly their sci-fi toys if they don't address these issues first.

Wish they could see that a simple protected bicycle lane on rt. 1 would do more now, for more people, than this ever will.

Unfortunately, for some reason, it’s always easier to find funding for massively, expensive, “gee whiz” projects, than for things we really need.

with the amount of overhead wires in Japan this should be interesting to watch.... I wonder whats the overhead flying rules in Japan and if I should invest in robotic earth to air turret for tresspassers of my aerospace

It’s all start-ups and independents doing advancement these days. The big companies want to stick to old models (“new” bullet trains, cars start still require a certain amount of gasoline, televisions, etc.), want government tax cuts, and refuse to engage seriously in R&D for next generation goods. Then if one of hose startups makes a serious invention and/or progress the big companies demand regulation on it so strict it’ll give them a chance to copy it in time or absorb the company and slow them down.

Flying cars and driverless cars could already be in use by now, but all of the fuel companies, car companies, and electronics industry are in cahoots.

Yokohamarides: “Wish they could see that a simple protected bicycle lane on rt. 1 would do more now, for more people, than this ever will.” My town widened a lot of streets over the past year and painted in bicycle only lanes, and so far drivers have been very thankful for the free parking lane, and motorcyclists a passing lane, and of course police do nothing to enforce it.

smithinjapan - I know. Those “chuuto hampa” lanes are called sharrows. We have them here in Yokohama too and cab drivers love to park over them to take naps.

To get an idea of what works, google “protected bike lanes NYC/Copenhagen/Netherlands”