Whether or not to allow flying car is a very controversial issue at present time. A considerable amount of money has been spent over the last decade on the invention of this vehicle. Flying car refers to an auto- aero machine that can be used on road and can also fly in the air.
This suggestion has been an element of theoretical arguments for almost one century now. This is since the time when inventor Felix Longobardi was given the go-ahead to invent the vehicle. This was seen as very strange idea at the time because it needed the usage of an aero-auto system to sustain movement in both land and air. According to Nandini (2010):
“The aim of modifying the car into a flying car is to make the invention more foldable, which means it can be used on the road and fly in the air. That flexibility gives the vehicle an advantage by itself”.
The Terragugia company developed a wing in its establishment to manufacture this type of car as well as make its systems easy to use. The first step in this development is to ensure that the wings on the car can be folded. This, according to the company can be achieved by use of a button that makes it easier for the pilot to fold the wings without leaving the car. “It has been suggested by the Terrafugia group that the car would be available for use in 2011,” (Nandini, 2010).
This essay explores some of the issues surrounding the flying car and considers arguments by various scholars in the field on both the new invention of flying vehicle and the groups opposed to that invention. On one side of the discussion is the flying car bringing benefits in the future and it will be useful. On the other side of the discussion is this kind of vehicle brings disasters to the environment.
The main advantage for this invention is to improve travel. Travelling greater distances will seem a common commute and will allow shorter travel time because of the high speed that will be sustainable with this technology. Traffic jams will be a thing of the past when air ways will be established. They will be so spread out that jams will no longer occur. In addition, after the invention, standard major highways will not be needed and this will be open more land for construction. In addition, the advantages of such a vehicle would be more affordability of a flying vehicle as compared to personal aircraft, once they become commercially available. This is in consideration of the fact that it would use affordable and accessible fuel. “A flying car would quicken transport and save on time for travelling”, (Gibson, 2007).
Another benefit of the flying car is how this new vehicle helps in the field of hospitals and police. This can be achieved by making that vehicle helpful to the community. Medical emergencies arrive without regard to location or time. Both location and time are factors that can hamper their effectiveness and make all the difference between life and death. Medical technology may be miraculous, (Regev, 2010). This is advantageous as it can help paramedics to reach the traffic accident between the buildings. Also the police, when chasing a criminal, this invention will make their work easier owing to its flexibility. It is capable of driving and flying easily. Moreover, there is a trend in the military that the members want to use this kind of vehicle in the field.
However, this discovery is rejected by some of the groups opposed to that creation. These groups are concerned about effects of the flying car, which only is slightly understood. Experience over the last century has shown that technology has been badly affecting the climate. This invention will equally have a dramatic effect on the environment. It is clear that aviation is one of the major causes of global-warming. According to Frances (2006), “The amount of carbon dioxide emitted by air travel doubled between 1990 and 2004”. If this new vehicle flies in the air with a lot of people using it, that will increase the global warming in the future.
Another disadvantage of the flying car is not all the people have the knowledge to fly. Flying in the air needs the capability to know how to be in command of flying. On airplanes they use a method, for instance, a system that can guide them in the right direction. In an urban environment, the need for strict traffic control of the “air/cars” would be necessary. If the government did not address this there would be mid air crashes on a regular basis with really bad results.
In conclusion, a flying car is an interesting invention for manufacturer to consider In fact, use of flying car could lead to many benefits for the community, but it could equally well lead to a major environmental disaster. It is considered that many would want to purchase a vehicle that can fly and not an aircraft that can run on road. Moreover, it may have been little more of a dream for the past century, things may be turning around, which will actually see the invention to be realised. Being a technological advancement like no other, there are pros and cons.
However, infrastructure has not been put in place which can sustain everyone to fly rather than drive. For now, treating flying cars as aircrafts which can also be driven may seem to be the way out.
Therefore, governments have to consider carefully all sides of the discussion, and to quickly introduce appropriate legislation to ensure the safest course of action is followed. It is to be hoped that governments will consider the long term future of humanity as well as pressure from the new invention that may only wish to make a quick profit.
What do you think?
References
Frances, J.(2006)Fesponsibl Travel report.Flying in the face of global warming. Web.
Franklin, U. (2007). Real World of Technology. House of Anansi Press.Urban Aeronautics. Web.
Gibson, M. (2007). Flying car about to take off? Web.
Greynium Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (2010). Flying car-soon a reality. Web.
Nandini,(2010).Bornrich.Terrafugia Transition flying car is slated to hit the skies in late 2011. Web.