Uber shows off its 4-passenger flying-car prototype

LOS ANGELES — Uber unveiled its flying-car concept Tuesday, saying it wants to do its part to advance the electric air-taxi industry.

At its second annual Elevate Summit in Los Angeles, the ridehailing giant introduced a prototype for its electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL), which are designed to carry four passengers in ridesharing flights in dense, urban markets.

At last year’s Elevate Summit, Uber announced that it planned to do test flights in 2020 and hoped to deploy the vehicles commercially in 2023. The company says the vehicles will be piloted at first, but that they will eventually be autonomous.

Last fall, Uber signed an agreement with NASA to help develop new unmanned traffic management concepts and aerial systems. Uber also has other partners in developing the systems and technology for electric VTOL vehicles, which take off and land like helicopters, and are being touted as an answer to traffic congestion on land.

The release of its dronelike prototype is part of a collaborative approach Uber says is important to making sure safety and design concerns are addressed early.

“The closer we get to moving riders by way of eVTOL technologies, the more important it becomes to advance the State of the Art for these aircraft,” said Mark Moore, Uber’s Director of Engineering, Elevate Vehicle Systems, in a statement. “Our existing partners are experts in their respective fields, and it’s our job to equip them with the tools and resources needed to make urban aviation transit a reality.”

The flying vehicles would fly 1,000 to 2,000 feet in the air at speeds of 240 km/h to 320 km/h.