Japan Promotes Flying Cars at the Government Level

The Japanese government has announced the formation of a public-private partnership involving 21 companies and organizations, including Uber, Boeing, Airbus, Cartivator, and Japan Airlines. The alliance’s goal is to implement a program for the development of personal air transportation—flying cars—within the next 10 years.

The Ministry of Economy of Japan believes that flying cars will help reduce road congestion, assist with transportation to remote islands or mountainous areas during natural disasters, and find applications in the tourism industry.

“The Japanese government will provide appropriate support to help realize the concept of flying cars, including the creation of suitable [air traffic] regulations,” the ministry stated.

If Japan can quickly establish a legal framework for the operation of flying cars, it could surpass countries like the United States in this sector. The U.S. Federal Aviation Association is known for its conservative approach and extremely slow adoption of new regulations, including those for unmanned vehicles, according to Bloomberg.

Flying cars are often mentioned in science fiction, but in reality, they are still far from mainstream. However, there has been some progress in this direction. For example, Larry Page’s startup Kitty Hawk has begun testing large flying taxis in New Zealand.

Kitty Hawk Cora: Autonomous Flying Taxis

The Kitty Hawk Cora flying taxis can carry two passengers on autopilot. They resemble a small airplane but feature vertical takeoff, fully autonomous piloting, and electric propulsion. There is also a more portable, single-seat version called the Kitty Hawk Flyer.

• Kitty Hawk Cora: Two-passenger, autonomous, electric flying taxi
• Kitty Hawk Flyer: Single-seat, portable version

Uber also plans to launch flying taxis within five years. Other companies working on various versions of these vehicles include Rolls-Royce, Airbus, Daimler, Passenger Drone, Ehang, Porsche, Terrafugia (Geely), and more.