Freedom: New Hampshire Legalizes Flying Cars
Last week, New Hampshire became the first state to grant flying cars access to public roadways, despite the fact that they don’t currently exist.
That said, House Bill 1182 only references “roadable aircraft,” with an aim to establish a commission to study the on-road usage of non-traditional motor vehicles. While flying cars remain anchored to our collective imagination, airplanes that can be rigged to drive on public roads technically already exist.
New Hampshire is just attempting to give them some leeway via the bill while also slipping in some new laws making it easier to revoke licenses if someone ever refuses to take a blood test, as well as withholding motor vehicle registration renewal privileges to anybody found driving in a “manner that evades toll collection.” There are also numerous revisions to construction projects related to tolling within the state. You didn’t think Bill 1182 would just be about establishing inspection and registration requirements for flying cars, did you?
Despite the futuristic flying car stuff being stated as the bill’s primary focus, there are numerous of side programs that seem unrelated. This is fairly commonplace among modern-day lawmaking, even if it makes you feel like public officials are constantly running a scam on the people they’re supposed to serve. Whatever. Flying automobiles can finally have their day on the East Coast!
Shared by CNET, House Bill 1182 sets some guidelines for road-going aircraft and gives them permission to putter about on public roads. However, these rules do not include an expressway liftoff. These vehicles will still need to drive themselves to the airport to leave the ground, which is undoubtedly a good idea, considering all existing air-car concepts require wings be folded out prior to takeoff. Drivers in other lanes certainly wouldn’t appreciate that, and there’s always a chance of encountering an obstruction (overpass, power lines, etc.) as one makes for the sky.
Either way, we don’t see this getting us any closer to a world where passenger vehicles can be driven aloft as a way to avoid traffic. If anything, those living in the state with the best motto to ever grace a license plate will just have an opportunity to see wealthy individuals motoring their PAL-V to the airport… once it’s out of the prototype phase and production models begin delivery, that is.
[Image: DanieleGay/Shutterstock]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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The future of flying SUV's (cars are dead remember) is not up in the sky, it is floating just off the surface of the pavement, taking advantage of ground effect. This will enable the hyper-wealthy to avoid being jostled by bumps in the road *and* not have to pretend to pay to have the roads maintained or repaired. The proles will drive on the Interstate Highway moonscape uninsulated from all the craters. Sidewall may make a comeback. And we will understand what the owners of all the lifted trucks on monster tires were preparing for.
Wow that's crazy!!! Guess there are some rich folks who already ordered those cars in that state.