Over the last couple of years, we have heard a lot about the dream of flying cars and many designs that strive to propose a functional aerial vehicle for the everyday—Volkswagen China (the Chinese division of the German car brand) just recently announced a working flying car prototype. Known as the Flying Tiger (bur officially called VMO), the vehicle is fully electric and automated. Volkswagen China worked in tandem with British design consultancy Tangerine and Chinese aviation manufacturer Sunward in order to design this functional flying car prototype. This is considered to be the brand's first venture into the flying vehicle market.
The design is complete with two propellers at the back that "enables the electric aircraft to fly horizontally on its journey." The vehicle can seat upwards of four passengers.
Image Credit: Volkswagen Group China and Tangerine
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Flying Vehicles
- The trend towards autonomous electric flying vehicles presents opportunities for companies to innovate and disrupt traditional transportation industries.
- Design Collaborations
- The trend towards design collaborations, particularly across international borders, presents opportunities for companies to broaden their innovation capabilities and bring unique products to market.
- Electric Propulsion
- The trend towards electric propulsion systems presents opportunities for companies to develop more efficient and sustainable transportation solutions.
Where This Applies
- Automotive
- The automotive industry has the potential to disrupt the aviation industry by introducing autonomous electric flying vehicles.
- Aviation
- The aviation industry has the opportunity to collaborate with automotive companies to leverage their expertise in design and technology and bring innovative products to market.
- Electric Vehicle
- The electric vehicle industry has the potential to expand into the flying car market by developing more efficient and sustainable propulsion systems.
