[Mark07]

This isn't the first time the flying cars have been proposed, but could this be the era when these vehicles become a commercial reality?

Source: Manufacturing deal could lead to production of flying car

In March, "the Government announced plans for the ‘age of the flying taxi’ – where the aim is for them to be available by the end of the decade"

Personally, I can't see us all flying around like the Jetsons anytime soon. But could a select few use flying taxi's as a (potentially) cheaper alternative to a helicopter?

[Santa]

My understanding is that road and flying vehicles have so little in common that a viable hybrid is simply not practicable.

Cars and planes have very different requirements in their designs. Even if these "flying cars" were fully autonomous, would you trust one?

[Mark07]

Have i imagined this, or was there a car (I want to say in the 70's) which was loosely designed on the aerodynamics of an aeroplane wing - I guess to make it look cool.

Except, that meant when you hit any speed of note, the front of the car started to lift of the ground/lose traction.

It's fair to assume this would be sub-optimal (read, dangerous) for steering and braking.

[Drivingforfun]

Unless they were fully automated i.e. not having some kind of autopilot but having no user controls at all, I would have thought they would only be available to people with pilots licenses, as I don't think much of driving a car makes you particularly competent at flying??

[Rolebama]

There have been a few flying cars over the years, none of which really took off. (Forgive the pun.) I think they have all been particularly ugly, and, being a hybrid, didn't really do well as either a car or plane. I seem to remember they were particularly expensive as well.

[NMNeil]

And you though your insurance premiums were sky high (pun intended), now add the possibility that the car can now fall out of the sky and it's going to be astronomical.
The reality of the world I'm afraid.