Meet the Jetsons: Hyundai and Uber's flying taxi is here!

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show has seen the debut of Hyundai Motor Company into aerial vehicles. The Korean carmaker became the first carmaker to be a part of the Uber Elevate program and will develop air taxis for the cab aggregator.

The company revealed a Personal Air Vehicle (PAV), a Purpose-Built Vehicle (PBV) and a Hub. Hyundai’s Urban Air Mobility concept is stated to help ease peak traffic conditions. The PAV is called the S-A1 and is an electric flying taxi concept. The vehicle is capable of VTOL (vertical take-off and landing), though it is yet to be completely autonomous.

The PBV is a land transport vehicle that is eco-friendly and customisable. It will be battery-powered, autonomous and modular. It can be modified to function as a restaurant, coffee shop, and hotel, or even a clinic and pharmacy, along with being a standard transport shuttle.

The PAV and the PBV will operate in co-ordination with the ‘Hub’ which features tunnels and stations for ground operations. Its space can also be customised to accommodate a school, hospital or an entertainment area.

"For our smart mobility solutions, we considered what truly matters in cities and in people's lives. UAM, PBV, and Hub will revitalize cities by removing urban boundaries, giving people time to pursue their goals, and creating a diverse community. Our goal is to help build dynamic human-centered future cities and continue our legacy of progress for humanity. CES 2020 is just the start and we will continue to realize this vision," said Euisun Chung, Executive Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group.