Up in the air: Tesla's 'flying' Roadster raises more questions than answers
Elon Musk 's Tesla Motors has flaunted a new flying car – well, sort of. Mr Musk touted it as “something that you haven’t seen in any movie” but it's not exactly Back to the Future stuff. However, the stunt seems to offer a glimpse of the future of transport. It's a great idea, but several points need clarity before road-and-air-legal cars become a reality. What happened Late on Thursday,…
Elon Musk's Tesla Motors unveiled a new flying car, the redesigned Roadster, which was long-awaited after production ceased in 2012. The electric vehicle maker showcased the Roadster at SpaceX's hub in McGregor, Texas, where it was launched off a curved ramp, flipped over mid-air, and landed using built-in thrusters. The Roadster is set to enter production in 2028 and boasts a significant acceleration from zero to 100kph in just one second. However, several questions remain regarding the feasibility and legality of flying cars.
The vehicle is equipped with an "advanced ultra-high pressure air tank" containing 250kg of air that can recharge itself without propellant. This tank plays a crucial role in the vehicle's brakes, suspension, tires, and thrusters. Despite these impressive features, the Roadster will only come in limited-edition models and will not have any street-legal versions. This raises legal concerns as flying cars are subject to strict and unclear regulations.
US regulations from the mid-2010s required two licenses for flying cars – one for the road and one for the air. The AirCar, which received an airworthiness certification in Slovakia in 2022, required a pilot's license for operation. Musk acknowledged the legal ambiguity, stating, "I'm not sure if it's necessarily legal in all jurisdictions."
Additionally, the use of compressed gas in the vehicle poses insurance and airspace restrictions, as it may cause explosions and alarm owners and insurers. Moreover, questions arise about whether drivers would need aviation certification or a pilot's license, as well as the implications for liability, insurance, and airspace restrictions.
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