While critics have, for decades, scoffed at the idea of flying cars, that attitude is beginning to change. Toyota jumped into the flying-car arena by filing a patent for a “shape morphine fuselage for an aerocar” in 2014. The giant autobuilder claims the new aerocar will easily morph from a road-hugging automobile to an airborne vehicle.
Is Toyota’s Aerocar a Glimpse of the Future?
Key Takeaways:
- Toyota is actively developing flying cars, holding patents for designs that allow vehicles to transition between road and flight modes.
- Toyota's patented designs feature innovative wing mechanisms, including a "shape morphine fuselage" with hidden, foldable wings and a "stackable wing" system that unfolds from the roof.
- The design priority for Toyota's aerocar is superior aerodynamics, low drag, and vehicle stability, potentially at the expense of cabin comfort.
- The current design calls for a single rear propeller, though the power plant and its ability to generate sufficient takeoff power are still a mystery.
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