terrafugia's driverless flying car concept remedies future traffic anxiety

terrafugia’s driverless flying car concept remedies future traffic anxiety 
all images courtesy of terrafugia 

have you ever been stuck in traffic, surrounded by angry commuters and just look to the sky and begin imagining that your car can start flying? maybe back in the 1980’s it was a crazy idea, but with today’s quick advancements in aerodynamics and engine thrust capabilities, these daydreams are not so unrealistic just around the corner. this is where terrafugia comes in; founded in 2006, the company is on a mission to bring personal flight to homes everywhere. their latest concept, the ‘TF-X’ is a fixed wing street legal aircraft with electric ground drive and electric power assist on take off and landing. 

it will be able to recharge its batteries either from its engine or by plugging in to electric car charging stations. equipped with modern GPS  ‘TF-X’ will be capable of ‘auto landing’ at approved sites within recommended weather limits and safely navigate through skylines in emergency situations. terrafugia promises to keep the ‘TF-X’ price as low as possible, but expect it to be more than a normal car because high costs of light weight materials and difficult scale production. the company expects to take at least eight years to develop the terrafugia ‘TF-X’, so for now, save your pennies while stuck in traffic and keep on daydreaming about flying cars. 

‘TF-X’ will carry four people in car-like comfort

UPDATE: the ‘transition’ earned an exemption sunday from the federal aviation administration as a ‘light sport aircraft,’ meaning the US federal government is on track to legalize the first flying car.

after a few more sessions of audits and paperwork, the two-seated flying car can take to the skies under the command of sport pilots, a low-threshold classification. terrafugia can also commercially produce the aircraft without repeated burdensome federal airworthiness tests.

flying car industry executives say their products should enter the consumer market in the next decade.

it will have a non-stop flight range of at least 500 miles

the terrafugia ‘TF-X’ will be able to takeoff vertically from a level clearing of at least 100 feet in diameter

the company plans on enabling the car to fit into a standard single car garage

original rendering of the ‘TF-X’

the foldable propellers initial vertical thrust

the wings fold out for flight