The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry and the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry have presented a draft roadmap stipulating the start of flying cars’ practical use in the 2020s.

According to the draft, shown to a public-private council meeting on Friday, necessary technologies and regulations will be developed by the middle of the 2020s and flying cars will be used to carry people and goods on remote islands and in mountainous areas. Their use for human transportation in urban areas is set to start in the 2030s.

At the meeting, some members suggested that flying cars be put into first-aid and disaster response operations after their safety is secured.

There were also calls for discussions on how to enable such cars to be used anywhere on the globe, including talks on standardization between Japan and the United States.

Flying cars, which look more like drones than helicopters, are seen as a next-generation means of transportation and physical distribution.

The day’s meeting was attended by officials from the government, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and technology startups.

Speech