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Mobile WebSiteToyota to the "flying car" to practical, to determine the company to young people as the center to promote the development of the project investment policy. "Flying car" is one of the most talked about in the field, the US emerging companies and aircraft companies have announced their involvement. In the context of the increasingly intense discussion of new generation of vehicles, the "sky" as a powerful option into people's vision.
"Flying car" imagination
Toyota's flight car project has been a team of young members of the company's "Cartivator" who have made use of time outside the normal work to promote the development. The source of funds is mainly dependent on the extensive collection of assistance through the network and so on. This time, Toyota Motor and Toyota Group for Cartivator to provide 40 million yen (about 2.43 million yuan) the size of the funds reached a basic agreement.
The future will be established by controlling a number of propeller to stabilize the body of the technology, plans to complete by the end of 2018 can be completed manned flight test products. And strive to hold the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020 to achieve practical.
The car has improved its convenience through continuous development, but the congestion caused by environmental problems and emerging market countries is becoming more and more serious. In order to eliminate the negative impact of the car, the car manufacturers to develop pure electric vehicles (EV) and fuel cell vehicles such as the use of new energy vehicles, is also promoting the automatic driving car research.
As a means of personal movement, the reason why a flying car suddenly began to be concerned was that it was expected to solve the problem of the present car by a new way rather than a traditional extension. If you do not need the road, there will be no congestion; if you can take off and land, it does not need runway. People's actions and moves may change over time.
European and American enterprises in full swing to promote development
Although the name is different, but the United States Google co-founder Larry - Page investment in the US emerging enterprise KittyHawk also announced the flight car "Flyer" practical plan. European large aircraft manufacturers Airbus also announced that it will begin flight in 2017. Engaged in car sharing business in the United States in April announced the development of a taxi taxi development plan. The flying car has never stopped on the stage of paper.
However, in order to make the flight vehicle practical, in addition to ensuring safety, there are a lot of questions about the law enforcement of driving licenses and traffic rules. Even the US entrepreneur, known as pure electric cars and cosmic development and other ambitious business plans, said: "There is noise and wind and other issues, will feel uneasy on the head." However, if the Toyota and other large enterprises with the support of the accelerated development, then the discussion will certainly increase the reality.
Trial production "flying car" Toyota young people who (Aichi Toyota City, a small garden of the photo)
The opportunity for the establishment of the Cartivator was the 2012 team's current representative on behalf of the village wing to participate in Toyota's external business competition. He won the plan with a custom electric car. Since then, he in the process of perfecting the creative to determine the concept of flying cars.
"Want to achieve an exciting means of transport", agree with the idea of about 30 people responsible for design and mechanical design and other personnel joined the team. There are also some groups outside the people involved in the program, such as UAV development in the field of achievements of the University of Tokushima Associate Professor three round Chang history and so on. GungHo online entertainment company founder Sun Taicang, who also provided support.
On the one hand, the team has yet to determine the business to promote the system. In order to accelerate development, to explore the way through independent investment and venture capital financing, but failed to make progress. The mid-2015 team had requested support directly from Toyota executives, but did not reach any specific action. A member told the truth: "very willing".
Bet on technological innovation that has not yet started
Toyota's attitude towards research and development has gradually begun to change. In November 2015, Toyota decided to set up a fund to invest in technology-based emerging companies. In 2016, the United States set up an artificial intelligence (AI) research and development subsidiary in charge of external experts in the United States.
Toyota on May 10 announced plans to make the 2017 fiscal year (as of March 2018) R & D costs reached the highest level of 1.05 trillion yen in the past. Although the preparation of technological innovation looks very full, but the actual situation is slightly different.
"The future of the car may become completely different from the present form," Toyota executives have a sense of crisis. The competition between new rivals such as IT companies and emerging businesses, which have different ideas and speeds, has already begun, and Toyota believes that there is a need for an extraordinary idea that goes beyond the framework of the past.
Cartivator members are internal staff, accumulated team composition and financing experience, strengthened with the external contact. Although there are some cautious point of view, but according to the relationship revealed that the president of the Toyota Yamada Zhizhi judge, "and other technology to complete the reinvestment approach can not move forward", so decided to bet on the technical innovation has not yet started.
Toyota has had a business pillar from the automatic loom bold into the car experience. It has been around for about 80 years. Now once again ushered in a period of technological transformation. Although it is a small step, but the new initiatives may become an opportunity to overcome the non-continuous change.
