Hyundai Launches Urban Air Mobility Division

Flying cars, that's what the world is now heading to and Hyundai is the first mainstream manufacturer to take a step in that direction. The company is the first to launch an Urban Air Mobility Division which will see Dr. Jaiwon Shin, a renowned aeronautics engineer at the helm of affairs. Dr. Shin will lead the company into a new era of developing smart mobility products within the aviation industry. The Urban Air Mobility is expected to become a critically important part of the integrated mobility solution for ever-increasing traffic problems in mega cities around the world. Through the Urban Air Mobility Division, Hyundai Motor Group aims to provide innovate and smart mobility solutions never seen or thought of before.

Hyundai did not reveal how much it is spending on the new division, but in February said it would invest a total of $2 billion in futuristic technology this year.

Dr. Shin said, "Having worked on cutting-edge aviation research and development at NASA for 30 years, I am very excited and humbled by the opportunity to now shape urban air mobility strategy at Hyundai Motor Group."

NASA has been working on making flying cars a possibility

Shin's expertise lies in in revolutionary airframe, engine, aviation safety, and air traffic management technologies will allow Hyundai Motor Group to take a lead in the fast-growing urban air mobility sector. The new business unit will develop core technologies and innovative solutions for safe and efficient airborne travel.

During his time at NASA, Dr. Shin oversaw a $725 million program to lead many new aeronautics research initiatives, such as supersonic X-plane, electrification of aircraft, UAS traffic management, and Urban Air Mobility.

With this move, Hyundai Motor Group is certainly putting things in motion and of course the dream lies in taking its cars into the clouds, quite literally! However, it is not alone in this sector, as there are competitors who have invested heavily already which will make matters tough for the carmaker. Uber has set a goal of beginning demonstration flights in 2020 and making commercial flights available in 2023. Airbus and Boeing too are developing their own passenger drones and flying cars, which we are likely to get a glimpse of in early 2020