Comments on: Flying cars are here, almost http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost Accelerating Intelligence Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:08:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Couch http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28784 Couch Sun, 19 Aug 2012 13:25:15 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28784 electric vehicles are usually powered by coal fired powerplants electric vehicles are usually powered by coal fired powerplants

]]> By: Smart Electric Cars http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28738 Smart Electric Cars Sun, 19 Aug 2012 03:04:59 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28738 It is good news until they are all good for our environment that is they have to be electric powered cars or else some alternate energy vehicles which do not pollute the planet. It is good news until they are all good for our environment that is they have to be electric powered cars or else some alternate energy vehicles which do not pollute the planet.

]]> By: Tom Armstrong http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28647 Tom Armstrong Sat, 18 Aug 2012 05:16:20 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28647 After a career spanning forty years as a commercial flight instructor, the level of ignorance it takes to imagine that a 'flying car' can ever be anything more than a rich mans toy or a publicity gimmick amazes me. After a career spanning forty years as a commercial flight instructor, the level of ignorance it takes to imagine that a ‘flying car’ can ever be anything more than a rich mans toy or a publicity gimmick amazes me.

]]> By: Bernard http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28520 Bernard Fri, 17 Aug 2012 14:19:57 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28520 "Flying car" is a bit of a misnomer. It looks more like a roadworthy airplane. IMHO if it needs a runway to get airborn it is not a flying car. “Flying car” is a bit of a misnomer. It looks more like a roadworthy airplane. IMHO if it needs a runway to get airborn it is not a flying car.

]]> By: Marty McFly http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28399 Marty McFly Thu, 16 Aug 2012 03:03:54 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28399 No. Bad editor. Flying cars do not have wings. No. Bad editor. Flying cars do not have wings.

]]> By: Christopher Herod http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28398 Christopher Herod Thu, 16 Aug 2012 02:47:06 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28398 Totally agree. Too much money for crappy looks and not really benefiting economy. Can get a little Cessna or Piper plane for cheap and a nice car for half the price. Totally agree. Too much money for crappy looks and not really benefiting economy. Can get a little Cessna or Piper plane for cheap and a nice car for half the price.

]]> By: kilgatron http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28379 kilgatron Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:45:46 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28379 This invention is wonderful and will be everywhere in the next 25 years. Yes, they'll be AI controlled, and yes they'll cause more pollution, but that's already occurring. Finally, the price will come down dramatically. This invention is wonderful and will be everywhere in the next 25 years. Yes, they’ll be AI controlled, and yes they’ll cause more pollution, but that’s already occurring. Finally, the price will come down dramatically.

]]> By: Gabor http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28375 Gabor Wed, 15 Aug 2012 17:46:47 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28375 They have toyed with flying cars for decades now (see Skycar). The problem is not to take a "car" in the air, but to keep it there without killing everybody else. First they will have to develop autonomous control for regular cars. Not just a dozen "Google Cars" but the whole infrastructure. Then we can take them to the skies safely. I could even imagine an AI on board that would take over control immediately when the human pilot proves to be unskilled or otherwise too dangerous. The price wouldn't matter by then because I don't think we will own cars in the future, we only will use them for transportation. They have toyed with flying cars for decades now (see Skycar). The problem is not to take a “car” in the air, but to keep it there without killing everybody else. First they will have to develop autonomous control for regular cars. Not just a dozen “Google Cars” but the whole infrastructure. Then we can take them to the skies safely. I could even imagine an AI on board that would take over control immediately when the human pilot proves to be unskilled or otherwise too dangerous. The price wouldn’t matter by then because I don’t think we will own cars in the future, we only will use them for transportation.

]]> By: Gabor http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28373 Gabor Wed, 15 Aug 2012 17:37:35 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28373 They have toyed with flying cars for decades now (see Skycar). The problem is not to take a "car" in the air, but to keep it there without killing everybody else. First they will have to develop autonomous control for regular cars. Not just a dozen "Google Cars" but the whole infrastructure. Then we can take them to the skies safely. I could even imagine an AI on board that would take over control immediately when the human pilot proves to be unskilled or otherwise too dangerous. The price wouldn't matter by then because I don't think we will own cars in the future, we only will use them for transportation. They have toyed with flying cars for decades now (see Skycar). The problem is not to take a “car” in the air, but to keep it there without killing everybody else. First they will have to develop autonomous control for regular cars. Not just a dozen “Google Cars” but the whole infrastructure. Then we can take them to the skies safely. I could even imagine an AI on board that would take over control immediately when the human pilot proves to be unskilled or otherwise too dangerous. The price wouldn’t matter by then because I don’t think we will own cars in the future, we only will use them for transportation.

]]> By: GatorALLin http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28371 GatorALLin Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:53:06 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28371 ...so... I thought by now, someone would take the 4 blade flying toys we see so often and figure out how to make a version big enough to fly a human. Allow it to auto balance even if only 2 of the 4 blades work, so you have 2 back up fans/motors. Yeah the car idea is cool and would be fun to drive and fly... so why not just let it land in water next.....so you get the boat/car/plane thing as 3for1 special. $300K seems so much. Maybe with all the weight reduction to save fuel and even if they can figure out the electric car stuff... would be cool if they can get the smart car or similar to get the price down. If I have 300K to blow on a toy like this...seems like you are way better off getting crazy cool car and then a plane good enough to get you from point A to B. Just seems this idea will never fly (sorry, bad pun) unless you get the price way down.... $20K-$50K range might do it... I guess if I had that plane/car pictured above rolling down the road at 75mph and wings folded up....you look like a moron. Seems like lowest common denominator for both the car and the plane design and features... but none of the cool looks everyone wanted/expected for 300k. JustMy2cents... that and $299,999.98 gets you this toy. …so… I thought by now, someone would take the 4 blade flying toys we see so often and figure out how to make a version big enough to fly a human. Allow it to auto balance even if only 2 of the 4 blades work, so you have 2 back up fans/motors. Yeah the car idea is cool and would be fun to drive and fly… so why not just let it land in water next…..so you get the boat/car/plane thing as 3for1 special. $300K seems so much. Maybe with all the weight reduction to save fuel and even if they can figure out the electric car stuff… would be cool if they can get the smart car or similar to get the price down. If I have 300K to blow on a toy like this…seems like you are way better off getting crazy cool car and then a plane good enough to get you from point A to B. Just seems this idea will never fly (sorry, bad pun) unless you get the price way down…. $20K-$50K range might do it…

I guess if I had that plane/car pictured above rolling down the road at 75mph and wings folded up….you look like a moron. Seems like lowest common denominator for both the car and the plane design and features… but none of the cool looks everyone wanted/expected for 300k. JustMy2cents… that and $299,999.98 gets you this toy.

]]> By: Bri http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28367 Bri Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:55:41 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28367 Autopilot and a lot of FAA oversight, from the route to vehicle maintenance. Airplanes are inspected quite frequently. The Avro car hand eight independent motors. That way if one failed, there were multiple backups. It was way more cool to. I wouldn't be caught dead in that folded wing plane, on the highway! Autopilot and a lot of FAA oversight, from the route to vehicle maintenance. Airplanes are inspected quite frequently. The Avro car hand eight independent motors. That way if one failed, there were multiple backups. It was way more cool to. I wouldn’t be caught dead in that folded wing plane, on the highway!

]]> By: Bennie Beaver http://www.kurzweilai.net/flying-cars-are-here-almost/comment-page-1#comment-28366 Bennie Beaver Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:37:09 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=159022#comment-28366 Will we just end up with more pollution, only this time it's car pollution. Can you imagine a sky full of small planes. Maybe, if someone includes a lot of driverless controls. Will we just end up with more pollution, only this time it’s car pollution. Can you imagine a sky full of small planes. Maybe, if someone includes a lot of driverless controls.

]]>