Plans to introduce vertical take-off, flying taxis were a highlight of the fifth annual Leicester Business Festival.
A company responsible for developing some of the first electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles said it hoped to bring flying cabs to the 海角视频 within the next decade.
The team at Derby-based VRCO Ltd – Vehicle Redesign Company – is working on bringing its NeoXcraft into production, and wants to use the East Midlands as the test environment.
The announcement was made at the MIRA Technology Institute, which sits on the vast Horiba MIRA vehicle test site on the Leicestershire/Warwickshire border.
Recently the site has become a major test centre for driverless and connected vehicles.
Management at VRCO say flying on short journeys could become mainstream in the decades ahead, revealing that by 2040 heliports and vertiports could become a common feature on buildings.
The electric aircraft will use four fans which can convert into wheels for the road.
They will be capable of driving short distances and could feature a parachute for extra safety when in use in the air.
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The flying taxies were among the new technologies featured at the ‘Future of Human Mobility and Regional Connectivity’ event organised by the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Limited (LLEP) and East Midlands Airport.
Delegates heard about the future of transport, how vehicles and their usage will change, and the opportunities and threats surrounding the new technologies.
The two week business festival has featured more than 100 conferences, workshops, presentations and networking events across the county.
Subjects covered range from big plans for the Leicester skyline to future relationships between business and schools and colleges, promoting diversity, 21st century tourism and China as an e-commerce market.
Kevin Harris, who chairs the LLEP said the exiting transport technologies on show at the MIRA institute – including the VRCO plans – included things many of us will be using in our daily lives in the not too distant future.
He said: “As LLEP chair I have seen first-hand how significant investments in infrastructure and emerging technologies can grease the wheels of economic growth and prosperity.
“With the rapid pace of development in new automated and electric vehicle technology, our region has a golden opportunity to benefit our communities and businesses.”
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During the event Shammi Raichura, a senior operations manager for Uber, outlined its plans to promote car sharing to help cut carbon emissions.
Uber, which now boasts five million active users in the 海角视频 alone, is trying to extend its Jump e-bike service beyond London and introducing Uber Bus to the 海角视频 to provide smaller scale, more efficient passenger transport that could save money for local councils.
Discussing issues around cyber security, Dr Madeline Cheah, cyber security innovation lead at Horiba MIRA, described how threat levels were increasing with more connectivity.
Lisa Bingley, director of operations for the MIRA Technology Institute said: “It strikes me that the level of innovation is really going to challenge the skills of the existing workforce and this is where the MTI is perfectly placed to help.
“In terms of cyber security alone, it is predicted that there will be three million vacancies by 2021.
“Our strong links with industry are helping to bring the very latest thinking to CPD for businesses throughout the supply chain.”
The technology institute is a collaboration between education and industry led by North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College designed to address skills shortages in the new technologies surrounding connected and autonomous vehicles and electric cars.