What problems do flying cars solve? I know it looks cool but is there some huge thing that would get solved with this?
There are a number of potential issues they solve: 1) Efficiency. A flying car can theoretically take a straight line to its destination instead of having to follow a complex road layout. It might be less efficient to fly per minute, but if you're flying less minutes, it could be a net gain. 2) Reduce congestion. How much fuel in a car is burnt in traffic? With flying cars, congestion will largely be a thing of the p…
Larry Page’s startups working on flying cars
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Re: Larry Page’s startups working on flying cars
#42Every time I see an article on flying cars, I can't help but be reminded of an old IBM commercial[0] from 2000. Deliciously ironic considering it represented the fact that mainstream culture had all but written off the idea entirely. [0] https://youtube.com/watch?v=vzm6pvHPSGo
Re: Larry Page’s startups working on flying cars
#43>We noticed that you're using an ad blocker, which may adversely affect the performance and content on Bloomberg.com. For the best experience, please whitelist the site. Yeah, ok Bloomberg.
I'm on mobile, not using an ad blocker, and I still got this message... really Bloomberg...? Also by performance being affected perhaps they are referring to the 5 extra secondtheys make you wait.
Re: Larry Page’s startups working on flying cars
#44>We noticed that you're using an ad blocker, which may adversely affect the performance and content on Bloomberg.com. For the best experience, please whitelist the site. Yeah, ok Bloomberg.
I'm on mobile, not using an ad blocker, and I still got this message... really Bloomberg...? Also by performance being affected perhaps they are referring to the 5 extra secondtheys make you wait.
Re: Larry Page’s startups working on flying cars
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are a number of potential issues they solve: 1) Efficiency. A flying car can theoretically take a straight line to its destination instead of having to follow a complex road layout. It might be less efficient to fly per minute, but if you're flying less minutes, it could be a net gain. 2) Reduce congestion. How much fuel in a car is burnt in traffic? With flying cars, congestion will largely be a thing of the p…
The efficiency argument doesn't work: moving up against gravity will always be more expensive.
Re: Larry Page’s startups working on flying cars
#46What problems do flying cars solve? I know it looks cool but is there some huge thing that would get solved with this?
Cars and trucks are relegated to the 2d grid of streets. They consume an inordinate amount of space, and require that all travel occur in series down a road. When an accident occurs, this disrupts the flow of traffic down that path, and also frequently disrupts the flow of surrounding roads as drivers seek alternate routes around the problem. Roads wear down over time, and require maintenance to repair. Salt and chem…
Its also worth mentioning that none of these proposed designs are vtol, so you'll need a real runway to land or take off.
Worse, how do you leave the massive underground parking lot? Drive to the street then somewhere you can safely lift off? Now you have to wait to taxi to the proper runway or lift off zone or whatever these things will ultimately be allowed to use. Double worse, now we're less invested in solutions that actually work and don't require massive parking spaces like public trans via light rail, e-bikes, traditional bikes, etc.
There's a reason why the personal plane never took off. I'm pretty bearish about the flying car concept, even if all the technical and regulatory issues are easily solved (hint: they wont be) there's still pricing and safety issues on top of the parking problem. Oh and 9/11 is fresh in everyone's minds. Can you imagine anyone approving these things flying near the skyscrapers we work in? I suspect that if that these things catch on, they'll be like the Concorde. A toy for rich people in a hurry but with so many strict regulations and limitations that it'll ultimately be infeasible in the long run.
If Page and Google have shown anything, they're poor futurists outside of the information realm. When it comes to hardware, they're batting very poorly. They let Valve and Oculus take the VR crown, they let Musk take space tourism and electric cars, they let Jobs take the first mass market smartphone, let Amazon take the e-book crown, etc.
Re: Larry Page’s startups working on flying cars
#47I'm sure this is something Elon Musk would be trying to make, too, because there's a lot of expertise that his companies already have to build something like this: autonomous tech, rocket engineers, batteries, electric powertrains, solar panels, and he has already said he would probably build an electric airplane next. If only he had the money to experiment with something like this. That's why I'm hoping that Apple b…
There has to be compelling reasons why flying cars are the future.
Re: Larry Page’s startups working on flying cars
#48Silicon valley tries to create the future
Re: Larry Page’s startups working on flying cars
#49>We noticed that you're using an ad blocker, which may adversely affect the performance and content on Bloomberg.com. For the best experience, please whitelist the site. Yeah, ok Bloomberg.
Performance as in ad performance as in impressions as in money. for them. Their performance, not yours.