Don’t look now, but in a decade the skies above our head in big cities might be getting busy – with air-borne commuters. According to some predictions, there could be more than one billion electric air taxi flights completed across the world by 2030, in an industry predicted to be worth more than $2 trillion.
The potential 1 billion electric air taxi flights by 2030 is predicted by Boston Consulting Group, which points to increased traffic congestion that will force electric transport off the ground and into the skies.
Air taxis – such as Lilium’s all-electric 5-seater praised by Tesla CEO and founder Elon Musk last week – are set to start testing in locations such as Dubai, Los Angeles and Singapore next year, and may be operating in other major cities within 4 years.
However, they face major challenges in obtaining regulatory approvals, as well as the infrastructure and sensors to ensure they fly safely in a low altitude environment. Some major companies are already climbing on board.
“The first flying taxis are set to take off in major cities starting in 2023, at the latest. Bosch plans to play a leading role in shaping this future market,” said Harald Kröger, president of the Bosch Automotive Electronics division in a statement issued by the company.
The potential for the air taxi market, according to financial services firm Morgan Stanley, could reach up to 1.35 trillion euros ($A2.2 trillion) by 2040, and Bosch believes the potential for its sensors is significant.
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