That’s one way to beat the traffic! Audi transforms Airbus' flying taxi concept into a stylish part-car, part-drone vehicle that can lift off anywhere
- The concept is the result of a partnership between the German car maker and engineering firm Italodesign
- If you find yourself in traffic on the roads, you call for a vertical take-off and landing drone to pick you up
- Passengers use speech and facial recognition, eye-tracking and touch buttons to interact with the vehicle
- Once you reach you destination, the capsule and the aerial vehicle travel back to dedicated recharge stations
Stunning images have revealed Audi's vision for a self-driving taxi that will pick you up and drop you off from anywhere, by both land and air.
Called Pop.Up Next, the modular system consists of a two-seater capsule that works as a car while on the road or that can be carried to the rider's destination by an airborne drone when traffic is congested.
The Pop.Up concept was first launched by Airbus and the German auto firm has now unveiled its unique spin on this entirely electric, fully automatic modular design.
Audi says the concept could become an industry standard for flying taxis in the future it believes it could become a reality sometime between 2024 and 2027.
Stunning images have revealed Audi's vision for a part-car, part-drone vehicle that will pick you up and drop you off anywhere that could be with us within the next six years. If you find yourself in traffic on the roads, you simply call for a vertical take-off and landing air vehicle to pick you and the passenger capsule up
The concept is the result of a partnership between the Ingolstadt-based car maker and Italodesign, a design and engineering company based in Moncalieri, Italy.
The original Airbus Pop.Up design was revealed at last year's Geneva International Motor Show.
Audi's version of the system was unveiled during a press preview at this year's show, being held in Switzerland between March 8 and 18.
It allows you to book your trip using a companion app. The system then automatically suggests the best transportation options for your route based on timing, traffic congestion, costs and ridesharing demands.
Using this information, Pop.Up lists what options it feels are reasonable for your journey - either the ground, the air or a combination of both.
The capsule will scan your face for authenticity and, according to Audi's concept video, will also show you content to watch on a front display as you travel.
If you find yourself in traffic, you simply call for a vertical take-off and landing air vehicle to pick you and the passenger capsule up.
Once you have reached your destination, the capsule and the aerial vehicle will travel back to dedicated recharge stations where they wait to be summoned by their next customer.
Dr Bernd Martens, Audi board member and president of Italdesign, said: 'Creativity is needed where new mobility concepts for cities and people’s diverse needs are concerned.
Called Pop.Up, the modular system consists of a two-seater capsule that functions as a car or can be carried to the rider's destination by a vertical take-off and landing air vehicle when the roads are too congested.
Once passengers reach their destination, the capsule and the aerial vehicle travel back to dedicated recharge stations where they wait to be summoned. The concept is the result of a partnership between the Ingolstadt-based car maker and Italodesign, a design and engineering company based in Moncalieri, Italy
Audi is the first major car manufacturer to adopt the format, which could become an industry standard for flying taxis in the future, anticipated for public release between 2024 and 2027. This image shows a concept vehicle based on the design
Audi's concept was unveiled during a press preview at the Geneva international Motor Show, being held in Switzerland between March 8 and 18. The original Airbus Pop.Up design was revealed at last year's show
'Italdesign is an incubator for innovative technologies and radical prototyping. Pop.Up Next is an ambitious vision that could permanently change our urban life in the future.'
The modular system includes a monocoque carbon-fibre cocoon, which measures 8.5 ft (2.6 m) long, 4.5 ft (1.4 m) high, and 16 ft (4.8 m) wide and can accommodate two people.
The dominant interior feature is a 49-inch screen, which you use to interact with the vehicle through speech and facial recognition, eye-tracking and touch sensitive buttons.
The passenger capsule transforms into a car by coupling to a separate ground module, which runs on a battery that can travel for 80 miles (130 km) on a single charge at a top speed of 60 mph (100 kmh).
The entirely electric, fully automatic concept was first launched by Airbus in March 2017 but now the German auto firm has unveiled its unique spin on the idea
Pop.Up allows passengers to book their trip using a companion app and the system automatically suggests the best transportation solution based on timing, traffic congestion, costs and ridesharing demands
Using this information, Pop.Up lists what options it feels are reasonable for your journey - either the ground, the air or combination of both
The capsule will scan the passengers face for authenticity and according to a Audi's concept video, it will also show content on the screen for users to watch as they travel
A drone-like module, capable of reaching speeds of up to 70 mph (120 kmh) and travelling distances of up to 30 miles (50 km) on one charge, transports you through the air.
It is 14.4 ft (4.4 m long), 2.8 ft (0.8 m) high, and 16.4 ft (5.1 m) wide, with 5.8 ft (1.8 m) propellers powered by a 160 kW electric engine.
Airbus says that more than 10 million people will be living in megacities in the next 30 years.
Its Pop.Up system is the first modular, fully electric, zero emission concept vehicle system, designed to relieve traffic congestion in these crowded metropolises.
The modular system includes a monocoque carbon-fibre cocoon passenger capsule, which measures 8.5 ft (2.6 m) long, 4.5 ft (1.4 m) high, and 16 ft (4.8 m) wide. The drone module is 14.4 ft (4.4 m long), 2.8 ft (0.8 m) high, and 16.4 ft (5.1 m) wide, with 5.8 ft (1.8 m) propellers powered by a 160 kW electric engine
The dominant interior design feature is a 49-inch screen, which passengers use to interact with the vehicle through speech and facial recognition, eye-tracking and touch sensitive buttons
The capsule is capable of transforming into a car by coupling to a ground module, which runs on a battery that can travel for 80 miles (130 km) on a single charge at a top speed of 60 mph (100 kmh). If the traffic becomes too heavy, you simply call a drone to grab your car and it will fly you to your destination
The capsule, while airborne, is capable of reaching speeds of up to 70 mph (120 kmh) and travelling distances of up to 30 miles (50 km) on one charge
It was also created in parternship with Italodesgn. In a written statement, released in March 2017, CEO Jörg Astalosch said: 'Today, automobiles are part of a much wider eco-system.
'If you want to design the urban vehicle of the future, the traditional car cannot alone be the solution for megacities.
'You also have to think about sustainable and intelligent infrastructure, apps, integration, power systems, urban planning, social aspects, and so on.
'In the next years ground transportation will move to the next level and from being shared, connected and autonomous it will also go multimodal and moving into the third dimension.'
WHAT TYPE OF FLYING TAXIS COULD WE EXPECT TO SEE IN THE FUTURE?
Advances in electric motors, battery technology and autonomous software has triggered an explosion in the field of electric air taxis.
Larry Page, CEO of Google parent company Alphabet , has poured millions into aviation start-ups Zee Aero and Kitty Hawk, which are both striving to create all-electric flying cabs.
Kitty Hawk is believed to be developing a flying car and has already filed more than a dozen different aircraft registrations with the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA.
Page, who co-founded Google with Sergey Brin back in 1998, has personally invested $100 million (£70 million) into the two companies, which have yet to publicly acknowledge or demonstrate their technology.
Secretive start-up Joby Aviation has come a step closer to making its flying taxi a reality.
The California-based company, which is building an all-electric flying taxi capable of vertical take-off, has received $100 million (£70 million) in funding from a group of investors led by Toyota and Intel.
The money will be used to develop the firm’s 'megadrone' which can reach speeds of 200mph (321kph) powered by lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide batteries.
The Joby S2 prototype has 16 electric propellers, 12 of which are designed for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), which means no runway is needed.
AirSpaceX unveiled its latest prototype, Mobi-One, at the North American International Auto Show in early 2018. Like its closest rivals, the electric aircraft is designed to carry two to four passengers and is capable of vertical take-off and landing
The aircraft takes off vertically, like a helicopter, before folding away 12 of its propellers so it can glide like a plane once it is airborne.
Airbus is also hard at work on a similar idea, with its latest Project Vahana prototype, branded Alpha One, successfully completing its maiden test flight in February 2018.
The self-piloted helicopter reached a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground. In total, the test flight lasted 53 seconds.
Airbus previously shared a well-produced concept video, showcasing its vision for Project Vahana.
The footage reveals a sleek self-flying aircraft that seats one passenger under a canopy that retracts in similar way to a motorcycle helmet visor.
Airbus Project Vahana prototype, branded Alpha One, successfully completed its maiden test flight in February 2018. The self-piloted helicopter reached a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground. In total, the test flight lasted 53 seconds
Like Joby Aviation, Project Vahana is designed to be all-electric and take-off and land vertically.
AirSpaceX is another company with ambitions to take commuters to the skies.
The Detroit-based start-up has promised to deploy 2,500 aircrafts in the 50 largest cities in the United States by 2026.
AirSpaceX unveiled its latest prototype, Mobi-One, at the North American International Auto Show in early 2018.
Like its closest rivals, the electric aircraft is designed to carry two to four passengers and is capable of vertical take-off and landing.
AirSpaceX has even included broadband connectivity for high speed internet access so you can check your Facebook News Feed as you fly to work.
Aside from passenger and cargo services, AirSpaceX says the craft can also be used for medical and casualty evacuation, as well as tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR).
Even Uber is working on making its ride-hailing service airborne.
Dubbed Uber Elevate, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tentatively discussed the company’s plans during a technology conference in January 2018.
‘I think it’s going to happen within the next 10 years,’ he said.
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