The Future of Advanced Air Mobility

Auto Maker Hyundai Declares Plans for "Flying Car" Air Taxi Service

Hyundai Motor Group plans to have a "flying car" ready to start commercial air taxi services in 2029. The South Korean automaker's strategic move into aviation is part of a wider $52 billion investment in electric vehicle and disruptive mobility technology. 

Giving the keynote address at the Mobility Innovators Forum in San Francisco on November 9, executive vice chairman Chung Euisun announced the South Korean company's intentions and said that it will have an aircraft flying by 2023. He indicated that it is looking to partner with existing aviation companies, including new start-ups in the urban air mobility (UAM) sector.

As yet, Hyundai has not provided any projected performance details or specifications for the aircraft. In October, it announced the appointment of Dr. Jaiwon Shu as executive vice president of the group's new UAM division.  He was previously head of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. 

Earlier in 2019 Hyundai set up the Human-Centered City Advisory Group to bring together engineers, urban planners, and psychologists to prepare plans for future city infrastructure. It was expected to publish a blueprint before the end of 2019. The company also has been conducting its own 2050 Future City Project, which focuses on future transportation needs and concepts.