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30 November 2018

The future is now with Audi's flying taxi

By Mitchell TulkMitchell Tulk

According to futuristic tv shows and movies, sometime down the track everyone will be using flying cars.

Some companies have even played around with the idea for a few years, and now Audi is having a crack.

Teaming up with Airbus and Italdesign, Audi has created a flying taxi concept called “Pop.Up Next”.

Combining a self-driving electric car with a passenger drone, the concept had its first public test in Amsterdam during ‘Drone Week’ - in 1:4 scale model form.

  • Coming in hot! Coming in hot!
  • You are clear for landing. You are clear for landing.

The flight saw a passenger capsule transported from one side of the event hall to the other and successfully placed onto a car chassis, before it autonomously drove from the drop-off zone.

Audi believes in the coming decade people will be using a flying taxi service in large cities and the company is already conducting tests in South America... but with helicopters and chauffeur drivers.

While an ambitious idea, James May was way ahead of the pack with his flying caravan.

Can you see flying taxis catching on? Let us know in the comments.