Italdesign Pop.Up Concept Revealed In Geneva, It's An Idea For A Flying Car

Unfortunately, except a few experimental vehicles, like the 1954 Taylor Aerocar, and the recent Terrafugia creations, no manufacturer has successfully launched and marketed a “flying car.”

There have been attempts, many have failed, but people still dream of the day when they will be able to own an automobile that could fly, if desired, but is also roadworthy.

The latest swing at the idea of a flying car comes from Airbus and Italdesign, two companies that have teamed up to create an innovative vehicle that tries to do both jobs. The result is the Pop.Up Concept, which is an exhibit at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.

Instead of fitting a car with wings or placing a drivetrain and steering system on an aircraft, the two partners have figured out that these two “jobs” must be separated. Therefore, they have created a passenger capsule, which is the Pop.Up, and it can be attached to a ground module or an electric car platform.

The vehicle is a self-driving one, and it comes with a dedicated AI system, which is designed to alleviate traffic problems in crowded cities. Its two passengers start off a journey by driving in the carbon-fiber cabin with the road module attached.

If things get crowded, and side street seems like a proper alternative to the traffic, the air module will come into action to make the craft fly.

The coolest part about this concept is that its wheeled powertrain can drive itself back to a base, and so can the eight-rotor setup of the air system. The craft does not need to carry the weight of both systems at all times.

While this solution will not see production too soon, if ever, it is a creative idea that may finally turn the dream of a flying car to reality in a few decades from now.