DUBAI – Conjuring images of sci-fi movies such as Blade Runner and Back to the Future, the Chinese-developed XPeng X2 flying car took off for a 90-second test flight at the GITEX technology expo in Dubai last week, giving onlookers a hint of the high-tech future to come.
The XPeng X2 is a two-seat vehicle featuring a gull-wing door design and lifts off of the ground vertically – no runway needed – utilizing a system comprised of eight propellers. The vehicle is said to be able to ascend at the rate of two meters per second and can reach a top forward speed of 80 miles per hour.
The vehicle also comes equipped with a self-driving option, where the user can pilot the XPeng X2 or have AI take over the controls.
Despite the fact that the test flight in Dubai only lasted for a total of 90 seconds, Liu Xinyin – Chief Aviation Specialist at XPeng Aeroht, the developer of the XPeng X2 – said that flying cars are nearly ready for public use, although governmental regulation of the technology won’t be in place for several years at least.
XPeng Aeroht has stated that they are currently working with governments around the world to create regulations, with Xinyin speculating that flying cars will be in limited use within five years; this goes along with a recent announcement by China that the country intends to put flying taxis into service by 2025.
However, one significant hurdle that XPeng X2 – and flying cars in general – have to overcome when comes to establishing regulations is its self-driving aspect; the technology, still in its infancy, is just starting to be utilized by ground vehicles, so it’s a sure bet that governments will be hesitant in trusting it to pilot private aircraft as well.
Nonetheless, there are numerous flying car models in development around the world, such as Canadian firm Opener’s “BlackFly,” SkyDrive Inc’s “SD-03” and Klein Vision’s prototype “AirCar.”
Christopher Boyle is an investigative journalist, videographer, reporter and writer for SEARCHEN NETWORKS® as well as other independent news and media organizations in the United States. Christopher works on a wide variety of topics and fields, has been featured in print and online in a variety of publications, from local to national, and helps keep a keen-eye on what’s happening in the automotive world for Auto Buyers Market.