Uber, which plans to launch flying taxis within two years, has released photos of flying taxi design models it will show at Tuesday’s Uber Elevate Summit in Los Angeles.
“We think cities are going to go vertical in terms of transportation and we want to make that a reality,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told CBS News.
The taxis will take off from rooftop sky ports when requested by passengers and are meant for longer distance travel than would be reasonable in ground transportation.
“We want to create the network around those vehicles so that regular people can take these taxis in the air for longer distances when they want to avoid traffic at affordable prices,” Khosrowshahi told CBS News.
Uber Chief Product Officer Jeff Holden said the technology is similar to a helicopter and has stacked rotors that create lift, CBS News reported. The Uber air taxis will use clusters of small propellers, however, and will run on electricity rather than gas, which will make them far quieter.
Khosrowshahi admitted the concept is a "big, bold bet" on "CBS This Morning," but says big bold bets are what built Uber.
The flying taxis will have pilots at first but will become autonomous after the initial period, and will hold four riders per vehicle so a family or group can ride together or individuals can share the ride, and the cost, TechCrunch reported.
The service will be tested in 2020 in Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Dubai, and will launch more widely by 2028, Business Insider reported.
According to CNBC, Uber's flying taxi skyports would be able to handle 200 takeoffs and landings each hour.
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