The concept of the flying car has seemingly been around as long as human flight and the automobile have.
But it’s only been relatively recently — with the development of electric propulsion systems and cheaper, long-lasting batteries — that aerospace firms around the world began the process of transforming those visions into reality.
And although our skies don't have any commuter traffic yet, those first projects were successful enough to attract major automakers looking to get ahead of a rapidly changing transportation ecosystem.
The latest auto industry titan to get involved, it appears, is General Motors. GM CEO Mary Barra on Monday briefly referenced the “aerial mobility” market during remarks at a conference, saying the company’s new Ultium battery technology “opens doors” for its lineup of electric cars “and not just for vehicles.”
On Wednesday, Reuters, citing two sources familiar with the matter, reported that GM is weighing its options in the air taxi market — and that one of those options includes building a flying car.
A company spokesman declined to provide further details, but should GM jump into the nascent market, it would join several other mainstream automakers, including Toyota, Hyundai and Porsche.