Japanese IT and networking company NEC has unveiled an electric flying car prototype, presenting the study as a testbed vehicle for its communications and control technologies that can be used in the development of airborne vehicles, Kyodo News reports.
The NEC prototype made a short unmanned test flight at the company’s Abiko plant in Chiba prefecture, hovering at a height of three metres within a control cage for a couple of minutes. The air mobility vehicle, which measures in at 3.9 metres long, 3.7 metres wide and 1.3 metres tall, is equipped with four propellers and weighs 148 kg.
Unlike many companies looking to get into the flying car segment, NEC says that it is not seeking to become a maker of flying cars, but is rather looking to get its technology in them from next decade, starting with the transportation of cargo. For example, the prototype utilises NEC’s software to control flight and determine its location.
It stated its plans to provide its technology for flying the cars to engineering group Cartivator, with which it signed a sponsorship agreement last year. Cartivator is also supported by over 80 other companies including Toyota and Panasonic, and aims to start operation of a two-man flying car from 2023, carry people at the Osaka Expo in 2025 and mass produce the vehicle in 2026.
The Japanese government is also pushing the development of flying cars in collaboration with private companies ranging from the logistics and automobile sectors, in an effort to catch up with global competitors. It aims to build prototype electric flying cars and conduct test flights this year and put the technology into practical use from 2023 onward.
The aim is to ultimately have them commonly in use by the 2030s, serving a multitude of tasks from commuter travel and cargo transportation to applications in tourism and disaster relief, but ensuring safety remains a key challenge amid the lack of standards and rules, the report adds.
Malaysia is also working on its own flying car, with a prototype expected to be ready by the end of the year. The Vector, as the vehicle is known as, is currently being developed by Aerodyne Group in collaboration with a Japanese partner, the project adopting a technology-sharing approach to better manage costs and speed up development time. The government is also mulling over a testbed facility for flying cars being set up in Cyberjaya.
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Japan is moving forward while we are moving backwards laughing at our own pipu. This is the sort of the mentality of majority here.
The world moves forward while we are concerned with calligraphy
Japan is also concerned with calligraphy. Many of their words are in calligraphy. So since Tun tell us to look East, we must adopt calligraphy just like Japan.
The difference is the people of Japan supports their own Gov while our majority oppose our own Gov. Everything that is developed is being ridiculed. How to be a developed country?
Japan showcased the actual protoype of flying car when their road car industries matured and world class level with not one manufacturer but many. While msia with local market only near bankrupt one national car suddenly want to make flying car with rm5 usb powered table fan as prototype. They know they had it coming bro.
Why oppose the government? Well you must see who taught the public to oppose and hate the government for decades. Bad habits die hard, now they feel pain from their teachings. Why complain?
Provided they don’t Game of Thrones against their saviours.
Majority still asking for RM1.50 petrol which is not in their manifesto(PT can prove that in their article). Rather than hard work, they just ask for more subsidies. Soon, other Asia countries will be laughing at us for having a majority that think backwards.
Flying car is also not in the Manifesto yet we are spending Billions of RM on this which we never asked for. So why the double standards? Because your politicians cannot makan when giving lower petrol prices unlike crony vendors once again?
So does buying handbags and diamonds, still your previous leaders do it. Does it mean it’s in the previous gomen’s manifesto? At least we are spending billions for public usage than private use.
Previous gomen got manifesto? When? The only ones with manifesto is PH lah! Stop lying wei!
No manifesto but got slogan of ‘janji ditepati’? Yeah right. I wonder who is lying?
Since when slogan is a manifesto? Go look up the dictionary and slogan is a slogan, manifesto is a manifesto. I wonder who’s lying now? Or did you fall asleep during English lessons?
Since when he said manifesto is slogan? You should learn to read first before commenting. Are you teaching in UiTM? Your English level is so bad. Better let your students teach you.
(Like) NEC flying car Japan.
(Dislike) Vector flying car Malaysia
eat that redzuan!!!
Fun Fact: Aerodyne is actually bigger than NEC in term of drone service provider.
Proton should follow this trend and please stop “Hi, Proton” inside their vehicle, it’s very childish . (Hi, Toyota ; Hi, Honda ; Hi, BMW ; Hi, Benz ; Hi, Ford ; Hi, Volkswagen ; Hi, Perodua ; Hi, Izuzu ; Hi, Ferrari ; Hi, Lamborghini and etc.). The game-changing business strategy is flying cars, which will revolutionize our lives.
Copy paste: TunM’s face says it all: “Is this what I have spent RM20million on? WTF is that?! A remote drone toy? How am I gonna get kickbacks on this thing?!”
While they said prototype is here, the pictures looks too CGI made. So does it exist as a real car or not?
Yeay now can open branch in Cyberjaya to supply my KDK fans. We guarantee it can fly above all toll booths in Klang valley.
Got ejector seat?
Huh, that caught me by surprise. I thought it would be National or KDK to develop this first instead of NEC
and all the while I thought Malaysia was the one who started it first with KDK…
Well done Malaysia. Now without corruption, the country is heading towards greater heights. We are even aiming towards flying cars which is something the Japanese are heavily talking about. The fact that NEC is doing this shows our Ministers have vision 20 years ahead of its time.
I am proud to be a Malaysian now. We are innovators and will be leaders in the aviation and car industry
NEC also would be proud of Malaysia because we are wanting to be leaders in this new innovation
What the heck? This has nothing to do with Malaysia. NEC’s own development is for Japan usage and only for the coming Osaka Expo in 2025. Dude, your idolisation of PH just went into insanity asylum. Seek help dude.
You and your terbang ministers can go fly kite lah. And do it without our money pls.
i like this name..shukor bin azman..malay right? hahahaha
Well the real face will tell you its a non malay behind it. Typical…
Japanese prototype make much sense and sane than Malaysian Kipas Angin cap ayam.. Just let PH ministers and all their ridiculous supporters buy and ride into the cliff and enjoying afterlife faster.
With flying car like Mr minister said, I can fly to Penang without the jam at the bridge…Eat Char Kway Teow!
Why is it called FLYING CAR when it is very much looks like a drones or a chopper? And function like one.
Jepunis copy our flying car design for sure