US-headquartered Boeing has ambitious plans to foray into the flying cars business in Asian markets by the end of the decade, as per the company’s chief technology officer, Todd Citron.
Boeing hopes its subsidiary Wisk Aero’s tech will help address traffic woes in Asian cities.
Two years ago, Boeing invested in Wisk’s technology after it placed a $540 million bet on the Mountain View, California-based startup.
A year later, the large aircraft maker fully absorbed the company and began overseeing its development of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology.
Wisk is currently working with its sixth-generation aircraft, which promises to transport up to four passengers and additional luggage on each trip. The flying taxi uses fully electric propulsion, making it an environmentally friendly option for aerial transport.
Wisk’s highlight is autonomous flying technology, which is rare for flying taxis and provides space for an additional passenger on the craft since no pilot is required.
Boeing’s plans in Japan
Although Boeing’s manufacturing is based in the US, the company has expanded its operations overseas for many years. Outside the US mainland, Boeing has six research and development (R&D) facilities in Australia, South Korea, and India.
The company set up a facility in Japan in 2022. Earlier this week, the Boeing CTO inaugurated a dedicated facility at Nagoya. The location of the facility makes logistical sense since the Japanese automotive industry is located in the nearby Chubu region.
Japanese heavyweights such as Mitsubishi, Kawasaki, and Subaru, with whom Boeing already has supply partnerships for its own planes, have established factories in the region. These companies have also developed expertise in newer areas of automotive technology, such as electric vehicles and fuel cells.
In addition to collaborating on the production, Boeing is also looking to tap into the region’s talent pool and is partnering with the local Nagoya University for fresh talent, Nikkei said in its report.
Where will flying taxis ply?
The information regarding plans for the flying taxis was revealed by Citron in an interview to Japanese publication Nikkei.
Boeing’s current plans for the Nagoya facility include developing digital tools for aircraft design and manufacturing and researching composite materials for aircraft bodies.
Additionally, the company is looking to improve its know-how of sustainable fuels as well as hydrogen fuel cells as well as ways to improve its production capacity through the use of robots, the Nikkei report added.
This shows that the company is still in the early stages of its plans to unveil the flying taxis in Japan and is considering the Nagoya facility as an R&D center for its entire operations.
As per Citron’s interview to Nikkei, Boeing will first obtain certification for its autonomous flying tech in the US before heading to Asian markets.
Given its technological advantage, it makes more sense that Boeing works with a fleet provider, much like a Waymo or Cruise, but for the skies. It could also be possible for the company to operate the fleet itself.
There are many unanswered questions about which cities the company is looking to target. But in Japan, where the company is looking to get a head start, the fight for aerial taxis is already heating up.
Local firm SkyDrive and Germany’s Volocopter are already queuing to provide air taxi services next year at the Osaka World Expo. In comparison, Boeing is still on the ground with its plans.
