The Flying Car Must Never Be Built
It is not a goal to be reached, but a dream of new freedom deferred.
During a dramatic demonstration on Thursday night at SpaceX's rocket-testing facility near Waco, Texas, Elon Musk unveiled a new "flying" Tesla Roadster prototype. The car, suspended upside down on a curved track, executed aerial stunts including jumps over a Tesla semi, reminiscent of Evel Knievel. Despite Musk's awkward demeanor, which added a nerdy charm to the event, the demonstration showcased impressive air-powered thrusters designed in collaboration with SpaceX.
Musk referenced a quote from Peter Thiel, his former PayPal partner, who claimed the world had instead gotten "140 characters" rather than flying cars. The quote, originally part of Thiel's 2011 manifesto, aimed to criticize the industry's focus on unimportant social-internet start-ups rather than tackling significant challenges.
The notion of a flying car is often seen as a dream rather than a feasible one, as cars traditionally move on roads via rolling motion, while airplanes, a form of flying cars, also require rolling until they fly. Despite numerous attempts to engineer, manufacture, and market flying cars, none have succeeded. Henry Smolinski's AVE Mizar, Paul Moller's Skycar, and Terrafugia's Transition have all faced failure, largely due to regulatory hurdles and failed prototypes.
Musk later retracted the claim, stating the Tesla Roadster is not a flying car as previously suggested, but rather a vehicle designed for impressive aerial acrobatics, adding a new dimension to the concept of personal autonomy and freedom.
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