The first flying car has arrived! The prototype has been built, and its manufacturer, Chinese firm Xpeng, has announced that it will be launched on the market in 2024. It’s been called the XpengX3 and was developed by AeroH, the company’s aerial and urban mobility subsidiary. This model now has wheels and can travel on the road like a conventional passenger car, unlike its predecessor, the XpengX2, which can only fly, so is classified as more of a light helicopter or two-seater drone.
The XPengX3 looks like a futuristic supercar. Its lightweight design features a folding rotorcraft mechanism as well as multiple safety systems. When stationary, the two gull-wing doors open and allow the rotors to rotate into place. The blades then extend, allowing the car to take off and land vertically.
Inside, the car is equipped with cutting-edge technology: quad perception fusion, dual camera vision coverage, millimetre-wave radar and LiDAR sensors (with 3D vision and recognition, classification and annotation of the position of other objects around it); a digital display integrated into the steering wheel, a central splitter and unique controls for flying and a transparent infotainment system. XPeng has also announced the upcoming addition of the XPilot 3.5 driver assistance system.
