Hyundai gets serious and presents an air taxi

Car manufacturer Hyundai is moving forward with its air taxi plans. The South Korean company presented an aircraft for up to four passengers at the CES technology fair in Las Vegas, which is expected to enter service in 2028.

Test flights of the eight-propeller machine are planned for this year. Hyundai said it should not be louder than a dishwasher.

Four years ago, the car manufacturer presented its first, very different-looking prototype at the CES. After that, the plans went quiet. Hyundai had announced at the time that it wanted to put its aircraft on the air taxi platform of taxi company Uber. However, during the corona pandemic, Uber transferred the division to the Californian company Joby Aviation, which develops electric aircraft.

Hyundai’s flying machine called S-A2 is intended for distances between 40 and 60 kilometers. It must be piloted by an onboard pilot.

Other manufacturers are working on air taxis

Start-ups such as the German companies Volocopter and Lilium and industry giants such as Airbus have also been working on air taxis for years.

Hyundai is not alone with the concept at this year’s CES. Chinese car manufacturer Xpeng presents a two-person escape capsule that fits in the luggage compartment of a van with the rotors folded. She is then taken out of the car for a flight.

The American company Pivotal, backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, among others, started selling its small plane called Helix in the US at CES. The single-seaters, which cost between $190,000 and $260,000, are expected to be delivered in June. Pivotal emphasizes that you can fly them in the US without a permit.

New electric cars

Honda presented concept vehicles from a new series of electric cars at the CES on Tuesday, which are expected to come onto the market in 2026. The Japanese company brought a passenger car and a van to Las Vegas.

Google brings Chrome to cars

Google also used the technology show for car announcements. In the future, the internet company will also allow its Chrome web browser to be used on the in-car infotainment screen. For example, passengers can surf the Internet when the car is parked or at a traffic light. The feature is coming to vehicles where Google’s software is installed directly in the car.

Initially it will be available in Volvo and electric brand Polestar vehicles. For cars with ‘Google Built-In’, route planning from the group’s map app on smartphones can also be transferred directly to the car system.

For users who connect their smartphone with the Google Android operating system to their car, there will soon also be the option to share the current battery supply with the group’s map app. This is intended to allow you to plan any necessary stops for charging during navigation. This feature will initially be available in two Ford electric models.

(oli/sda/awp/dpa)