MOTOR BRIEFS
the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland recently.
He was referring to the company’s flying-car prototype, reported to have “hovered briefly in the air” during its inaugural test flight. Fuelled by the revolution in autonomous technology and growing congestion, Boeing’s nine metre aircraft part helicopter, part drone and part fixed-wing plane could change the face of the aerospace industry within the next decade.
Boeing is competing with Airbus, which is reported to have already conducted flying vehicle test flights involving the Volocopter and drone taxis powered by 18 rotors.
Other firms such as Slovakia’s AeroMobil have experimented with a stretchlimousine concept that can turn into a fixed-wing aircraft. But the growing concept is of vertical take-off and landing, in a bid to revolutionise urban transportation and parcel delivery services.
Major hurdles include critical safety and regulatory issues to meld traditional roadway traffic with fleets of flying cars. Boeing is said to be working with a number of corporations to develop a trafficmanagement system for threedimensional highways, as well as the regulatory framework in its mission to achieve crafts for two to four passengers with an 80km flying range.
PRINCE PHILIP GIVES UP LICENCE AFTER CRASH
How old is too old to drive? For Prince Philip, the momentous age arrived at 97, and he’s voluntarily given up his driving licence after crashing his Land Rover in January. Queen Elizabeth’s husband wasn’t injured in the crash with another car that took place on January 17 close to the royals’ Sandringham residence in the UK. But the other driver, a 28-year-old woman, and her 45-year-old passenger were lightly injured when the Duke of Edinburgh pulled into the road in front of them. Her Kia T-boned his Freelander and caused it to flip onto its side.
Though Philip suggested the sun had dazzled him, the crash prompted him to declare that “after careful consideration” his driving days are behind him.
One of the prince’s most famous car-based exploits was driving then-US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to lunch at Windsor Castle during their visit to Britain in 2016, prompting Obama to quip: “I have never been driven by a Duke of Edinburgh before, but I can report it was smooth riding.”