Uber partners with Hyundai on electric air taxi

A model of the S-A1 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at the news event where Hyundai announced its partnership with Uber to create an air taxi network, during the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. — AFP

SEOUL: US ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc and South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor have teamed up to develop electric air taxis, joining the global race to make small self-flying cars to ease urban congestion.

Global players like Germany's Daimler, China's Geely Automobile and Japan's Toyota have all unveiled investments in startups that aim to deploy electric flying cars capable of vertical takeoff and landing. But there are big technological and regulatory hurdles to the plans.