CES 2020: Into The Future For Air Driving With Uber & Hyundai

Global rideshare giant, Uber, has displayed its full-scale product model of its flying car, Uber Elevate, at the annual CES in Las Vegas.

Uber said it’s confident they will have flying taxis in the air and ready for customers in Australia by 2023, after announcing their key partner as South Korean car brand Hyundai.

‘There are always sceptics, but the only way to work with them is to acknowledge their scepticism and show that they’re wrong,’ Uber Elevate boss Eric Allison told the Australian.

Head of Uber Elevate Eric Allison (L) delivers a speech next to Hyundai head of urban Air mobility Jaiwon Shin during the Hyundai press conference at the 2020 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, 06 January 2020. EPA/ETIENNE LAURENT

‘So that’s what we’re aiming to do with everything that we’re doing.’

The company announced last year that Melbourne will be the city to host Uber Elevates trial, that is promised to help Australians beat the city traffic with autonomous flying taxis.

Uber is set to partner up Telstra, Macquarie, Melbourne Airport and Westfield owner and operator Scentre Group, to build out its network for the rollout.

*A model of the Hyundai and Uber Elevate urban air taxi concept S-A1 is displayed during the Hyundai press conference at the 2020 CES in Las Vegas. EPA/ETIENNE LAURENT*

The ultimate goal for Uber Elevates is to have customers enabled to travel between Melbourne’s CBD and Tullamarine airport in just 10 minutes – for the same price similar to what an Uber Black would cost.

At an CES press conference, Hyundai said it would invest $2.18 billion into the flying taxi technology, while showing off the prototype – which can reach speeds up to 290km/h and fly up to 600m in the air.

Australian boss of Uber Elevate, Natalie Malligan, said in a statement she and ‘her expert team are putting safety front and centre and will be working closely with Australian governments and regulators to make sure safety is a top priority.’