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Can buy from Taobao.. Wonder which local authority to approve if someone were to bring in to Singapore, LTA or CAAS? https://www.msn.com/en-xl/travel/other/chinese-flying-taxi-maker-ehang-sells-autonomous-passenger-drone-for-us-332000-on-taobao-as-nation-s-low-altitude-economy-takes-off/ar-BB1k9Kkg Chinese flying taxi maker EHang sells autonomous passenger drone for US$332,000 on Taobao as nation’s low-altitude economy takes off EHang's EH216-S electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle will be available in overseas markets at a suggested price of US$410,000 from April 1 The EH216-S, which was first announced in February 2018, has reportedly completed over 42,000 successful test flights in more than 14 countries Chinese flying taxi maker EHang is selling its EH216-S electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle on Alibaba Group Holding's Taobao marketplace, weeks before the Nasdaq-listed company makes the autonomous passenger-carrying aircraft available in overseas markets. Based in Guangzhou, capital of southern Guangdong province, EHang has put its EH216-S for sale at a unit price of 2.39 million yuan (US$332,000) on e-commerce giant Alibaba's primary domestic retail platform. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. In February, EHang announced that the EH216-S would be sold at a suggested retail price of US$410,000 outside the mainland from April 1. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The ambitious domestic and international marketing campaigns show EHang's confidence in generating strong market demand, months after its self-developed EH216-S became the world's first recipient of a Type Certificate and Standard Airworthiness Certificate for pilotless eVTOLs. Those certifications were issued last October and December, respectively, by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). "This significant achievement has had a profound impact on our business, as it has sparked a surge in demand for our remarkable EH216-S," EHang founder, chairman and chief executive Hu Huazhi said last Friday, when the company released its latest financial results. "The market response has been overwhelmingly positive, leading to strong quarterly and yearly revenue growth." EHang reported fourth-quarter revenue of 56.6 million yuan, a 260.9 per cent jump from 15.7 million yuan in the same period in 2022, on the back of an increase in orders for its EH216-series products. Total 2023 revenue reached 117.4 million yuan, up 165 per cent from 44.3 million yuan the previous year. Sales and deliveries of the company's EH216-series products totalled 52 units last year, compared with 21 in 2022. Multiple EH216-S aircraft built by EHang are seen parked at a vertiport - an area that supports the landing and take-off of these types of passenger vehicles - in Guangzhou, capital of southern Guangdong province. Photo: Handout© Provided by South China Morning Post After completing aircraft certification, EHang conducted EH216-S production under the supervision of CAAC representatives at the company's factory in Yunfu, a city in Guangdong. The firm began deliveries of certified aircraft to customers in the December quarter. EHang did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company's shares were up 4.71 per cent to US$16.23 in pre-market trading on Tuesday. The EH216-S, which was first announced in February 2018, has reportedly completed over 42,000 successful test flights in more than 14 countries. The two-passenger aircraft has a top speed of 130-kilometres per hour, a cruising speed of 100km/h and a maximum altitude of 3,000 metres. It has a range of 30km and a flight time of 25 minutes. It is built with 16 propellers, recharges its batteries in 120 minutes and provides a maximum payload of 220 kilograms. The luggage boot can accommodate an 18-inch suitcase to satisfy general commuting and short-distance travel requirements. EHang's EH216-S electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle is seen on display at the 2023 Indonesia International Motor Show held in Jakarta on February 23, 2023. Photo: Shutterstock The autonomous flight capabilities, fully electric propulsion, comprehensive redundancy safety features, and intelligent command-and-control systems of the EH216-S make it an ideal solution for various urban air mobility (UAM) applications, including air taxi services, aerial tourism, airport shuttles and cross-island transport, according to EHang. The company earlier this month forged a UAM cooperation pact with the municipal government of Wuxi, a city in eastern Jiangsu province, covering an order of 100 EH216-S units. Last October, EHang entered into a strategic cooperation deal with the municipal government of Hefei, a city in eastern Anhui province, for joint development of a low-altitude economy ecosystem, with US$100 million in extended support that can be used to facilitate a minimum order of 100 EH216-series products. The low-altitude economy, which is expected to be driven by the wide adoption of aircraft like eVTOLs and pilotless aerial vehicles, was identified as one of the national strategic emerging industries during the Central Economic Work Conference held in Beijing in December. About 20 provinces across the country have prioritised the development of the low-altitude economy this year, according to EHang. That is expected to contribute between 3 trillion yuan and 5 trillion yuan to China's economy by 2025, according to a white paper published last year by the International Digital Economy Academy in Shenzhen. More Articles from SCMP

A Mini Cooper S launched itself at a Toyota camcar in Kluang, causing a massive jam and turning both cars into wrecks on their sides. What happened? The camcar was sitting at the junction when the Mini turned in towards the camcar's right, going too fast and hitting the camcar head on. This resulted in both cars being flipped on their side. We can see in the video that debris littered the road, metal and glass coming from the damaged bodywork of both cars. Some passersby helped out to get the cars back on their wheels in order to be towed away. The accident caused a traffic jam that went for an unknown distance. The conditions of the drivers are unknown. Online chatter Many people were angered by the Mini’s unsafe driving, and took note of its Singapore registration to use it as an example of bad Singaporean drivers. Some also made fun of the Mini’s spoiler, which was unable to give it enough downforce to keep from flipping. ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

YouTuber Alex Choi attended a Tesla meeting where owners showed what modifications they made to their cars. Everything ran smoothly, and everyone was enjoying their time there. But the night ended in a completely different matter. Choi was approached by a Tesla owner that, out of the blue, wanted to show him where David Dobrik (a.k.a Borat) jumped his EV from Elon Musk’s company. Since this was a friendly encounter and a curious invitation, he accepted. What he didn’t expect was to see this owner attempt a jump in that exact spot with his brand-new Tesla Model S. The YouTuber even says that the driver of the flying and now totaled Tesla attempted this on its own. Moreover, he’s done without any practice or test run beforehand. Naturally, a crowd gathers, and everyone starts filming. For some reason, the owner of the acrobatic Tesla violently accelerated, and the jump instantly became a very short flying lesson. The outcome, well… You can see it for yourself. The car was destroyed. What’s sad is that other innocent owners had their cars damaged as well because the impact on the ground was so brutal. Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt. Apart from the new Tesla and some other damage to public property, nothing else went wrong. Still, the video is further proof that Model S vehicles are safe and can protect even the most adventurous drivers. https://www.autoevolution.com/news/brand-new-tesla-model-s-jumps-50-feet-into-the-air-everybody-s-speechless-184385.html Great conclusion right there lol.

http://www.mr-mehra.com/2020/10/futuristic-flying-aircar-that-can.html Futuristic flying 'AirCar' that can transform from a road vehicle into a plane in under THREE MINUTES takes to the skies for the first time A flying sports car that can go from road vehicle to aircraft in just three minutes has flown 1,500ft in the air over Slovakia as part of a test flight, its developers say. Sensational footage of the AirCar, developed by Slovakian firm KleinVision, shows it driving on a runway, stopping to deploy wings, and then soaring through the air. This is the fifth prototype of the flying car and developers say it would be great for leisure and self-driving journeys, or as a commercial taxi service. No price details have been revealed for the futuristic vehicle, but it can travel for about 620 miles at a time and could be seen in the air and on the roads from next year. Sensational footage of the AirCar, developed by Slovakian firm KleinVision, shows it driving on a runway, stopping to deploy wings, and then soaring through the air This is the fifth version of the flying car and developers say it would be great for leisure and self-driving journeys, or as a commercial taxi service According to its developers it completed two 1,500ft test flights at Piestany Airport in Slovakia this week, bringing it a step closer to commercial flight. Designed by Professor Stefan Klein, the AirCar safely completed two takeoffs and landings as part of the test run. Cars can be heavy, but planes must be light and so finding that balance for the AirCar was a major challenge for Klein and his team. The two-seat model, tested in Slovakia this week, weights 2,425lb and can carry an additional load of 440lb per flight, the company said. Powered by a BMW 1.6l engine, the car-plane has an effective power output of 140HP and the estimated travel range of AirCar is 621 miles. It requires a runway of at least 984ft to get from ground to sky and can reach speeds of up to 124 miles per hours, according to Klein. AirCar has wings that unfurl and a single propeller at the read. The wings fold up when the vehicle is on the road and it takes up the space of a normal packing spot. 'The wing and tail deployment/retraction mechanism is very impressive, converting the automobile into an airplanem' said Dr Branko Sarh, former Boeing expert. 'The cockpit providing space for the driver/pilot and a passenger is very roomy and nicely styled. The overall appearance of the flying car on road and in the air is superb,' Sarh added. It requires a runway of at least 984ft to get from ground to sky and can reach speeds of up to 124 miles per hours, according to Klein. The developers say it has been designed so that the stability and controllability of the AirCar is accessible to any pilot, with no specialist training required. 'The key flight parameters confirmed all theoretical concepts and calculations that the development of the AirCar was based on,' Professor Klein said. When all of the legally required flight tests are completed they plan to fit the craft with a more powerful engine and hope to have it ready for sale within six months. No price details have been revealed for the futuristic vehicle but it can travel for about 620 miles in the air and could be seen in the air and on the roads next year. The company already has a buyer interested in purchasing one of the AirCars when it passes all future tests and is ready to fly - or drive. 'With AirCar you will arrive at your destination without the hassle of getting a ride to airport and passing through commercial security,' said co-found Anton Zajac. 'You can drive your AirCar to the golf course, the office, the mall or your hotel and park it in a normal parking space,' said Zajac added.

Redzuan: Malaysia's first-ever flying car to be revealed this year KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Malaysia's first-ever flying car – driven by local technology – is expected to be unveiled this year, says Datuk Seri Redzuan Md Yusof (pic). The Entrepreneur Development Minister said a prototype of the car already exists. "This year is a realistic target because we have the technology. It is all about the speed of implementation," he told reporters after launching the Growth Malaysia initiative here on Tuesday (Feb 26). He said the car would be safe and capable of flying at low altitude at a reasonable speed. "Investment to build the prototype was slightly over RM1mil," he said. Mohd Redzuan said the flying car project is a way for the government to create an environment that stimulates people to think about new technology. "We are providing the catalyst and ecosystem to stimulate the people to think beyond what we do today," he said. He said the project is also to utilise the country's capabilities in the aerospace, drone, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and automotive sectors. "Malaysia has the skill set to excel in the field of aerospace, drone, UAV and the national car. We need to use our skill set because the bottom line is we want to be a producing nation," he said. However, he said the project is separate from the third national car project envisioned by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. On Growth Malaysia, he said the initiative is led by online to offline platform operator Fave to help Malaysian offline retailers to go digital in terms of payments, marketing, data and financial services. Fave founder Joel Neoh said the initiative aims to help 100,000 restaurants across Malaysia to grow digitally by 2020. He said collaborators for the initiative included Grab Malaysia, Maybank, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, Funding Societies and Productivity Nexus for Retail and Food and Beverages. – Bernama

M’sia to release ‘flying car’ prototype by end 2019, claims 1-hour KL to Penang trip possible Source: https://mothership.sg/2019/10/malaysia-flying-car-end-2019/ Malaysia is expected to launch its “flying car” prototype at the end of 2019, according to Malaysia’s Minister of Entrepreneur Development. Malay Mail reported that Minister Mohd Redzuan bin Mohd Yusof did not give parliament an exact date, but said that “air mobility” will continue to undergo further development. The prototype was previously planned to be unveiled in October 2019, according to The Star. Flying cars by Vision 2020 Khairy Jamaluddin, the youth chief of UMNO, had parliament in stitches after he said he was glad to have lived to see his dream of “flying cars”. “Vision 2020 was introduced when I was 15 years old. We imagined that there would be flying cars by then. I would like to congratulate the minister for being the only one to keep the promise of Vision 2020,” he said cheekily. Vision 2020 is a goal set forth by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who called for Malaysia to be a developed nation by 2020. Khairy also asked Redzuan when the public can expect to see the entrepreneur development minister riding the “flying car”. In response, Redzuan said that Mahathir had barred him from the air mobility vehicle, unless it was insured. He also gave more details about the vehicle, stating that it can accommodate two to three passengers. Redzuan also said that the “flying car” can cut short travelling time, and claimed that travelling between Penang and Kuala Lumpur will only take an hour, compared to four hours on the road. Flying car timeline On March 2, Redzuan announced that the “flying car” will not be for sale to the public, but companies such as Grab are interested to use it for taxi services. A model of the proposed “flying car” was first unveiled in March this year, at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace 2019 exhibition. The model drew a lot of flak for being little more than a glorified drone, although Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was reportedly pleased with the idea when he visited the booth. Later, it was clarified that the “flying car” that was being developed was actually a drone that can carry people and cargo. The passenger drone can reportedly carry a load of approximately 150kg to 200kg, and fly about 50m above ground level at 60km/h for between 30 and 90 minutes of flying time, according to the vehicle’s developers. On Aug. 20, it was announced that works to construct Malaysia’s first “flying car” was 85 per cent complete. The world awaits with bated breath.

Slovak engineer Stefan Klein posing with his car models in Bratislava, Slovakia on Dec 17, 2013. Mankind's primordial dream of flight is taking off with a new twist as a Slovak prototype of a flying car spreads its wings. Mankind's primordial dream of flight is taking off with a new twist as a Slovak prototype of a flying car spreads its wings. Inspired by the books about flying by French authors Jules Verne and Antoine de Saint Exupery, Slovak designer and engineer Stefan Klein has been honing his flying machine since the early 1990s. "I got the idea to start working on a vehicle of the future at university, but honestly, who hasn't dreamt of flying while being stuck in the traffic?" Klein told AFP. "Flying's in my blood -- my grandfather and my father flew ultra-light aircraft and I got my pilot's license before I was old enough to drive a car," said Klein, who has designed cars for BMW, Volkswagen and Audi and now teaches at the Bratislava-based Academy of Fine Arts and Design. His elegant blue-and-white vehicle for two is six metres (20 feet) long so it fits neatly in a parking space or a garage and tanks up at any filling station. But once it reaches an airport it can unfold its wings within seconds becoming a plane. Dubbed "the world's prettiest and best-designed airborne automobile so far" by US aviation magazine Flying and Inhabitat.com design, an innovation website, the Aeromobil also has the distinction of originating in Slovakia, the world's largest per-capita car producer. "So far there have been about twenty attempts to manufacture a flying car around the globe," the president of the Slovak Ultra Light Aviation Federation, Milan Ciba, told AFP. "Among them, Aeromobil appears very viable," he said. Other models include the US-based Terrafugia's "Transition" flying car expected to be launched on the market within a year, while the helicopter-type Dutch PAL-V gyrocopter could go on sale in this year. Klein's dream took to the skies in September when he piloted the Aeromobil during its first wobbly test flight. Once airborne, the it can reach a top speed of 200km/h (124 mph) and travel as far as 700 km (430 miles), consuming 15 litres (4 gallons) of petrol per hour. "A combination of a car and a plane will always lose against the competition when we start comparing energy consumption," Jan Lesinsky from the Slovak University of Technology told AFP. But would-be users could glide by long lines and security checks at airports, saving time on medium-distance journeys. Klein and his team are currently working on the next generation of Aeromobil that will go into production in a few months and hopefully receive Slovak Ultra Light Aircraft Certification (SFUL). "Would-be users would have to follow the legislation already in place for ultra light aircraft," SFUL president Federation Milan Ciba told AFP. "Pilot/drivers will need to have both a driver's and pilot's licence with at least 25 flying hours," he added. An enthusiastic pilot himself, Klein remains down to earth when looking to the future. "I don't expect Aeromobil to go into mass production, it will always be an alternative means of transport," Klein said. "It can, however, be very interesting for countries with vast areas lacking infrastructure like Russia, China or Australia," he added. Flying cars will most likely take off among pilots licensed for ultra-light aircraft, says Ciba. "It would make their lives so much easier -- they would be able to park their car/aircraft at home, drive to the airport, take off, land and drive to their destination without switching vehicles," he muses. Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/technology/story/flying-car-spreads-its-wings-slovakia-20140119

There are often times when people start to feel sleepy when driving. When this is the case, I strongly recommend these people pull over instead of continuing driving. When people get sleepy and they keep on driving, a lot of bad things can happen. In Taiwan, for example, a family known as the Kangs got involved in a car crash while taking a relaxing drive on the city road. However, that