The folks behind Volvo just bought a ‘flying car’ startup

Once purely an idea baked in the science fiction genre, flying cars might actually be coming in the future.

The Verge reports China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., aka the folks behind Volvo, has acquired Terrafugia, a startup who’s developing technology to make flying cars a reality.

Terrafugia has already dipped into the flying vehicle realm, offering a drivable plane that turned into a flying car. They’ve also worked on an electric-powered aircraft prototype called TF-, which is a car-helicopter hybrid that looks straight out of a Philip K. Dick story.

It’s an incredible step towards the future of travel, however, I’ve got my doubts about the viability of these types of projects.

I can’t imagine how unsafe it would be to drive one of these bad boys. Let’s say 100 vehicles are flying in the same vicinity at once, that’s an accident waiting to happen. You’d need a license, a pilot’s license, and clearance just to use the vehicle to its full potential. Factor in the cost of buying a car-plane and it doesn’t seem manageable for normal consumers.

Despite the logistics, it’s amazing to see the once impossible become possible. With Volvo’s help, flying cars aren’t just a possibility, there the future – even if there’s no set date launch for them.

[The Verge]