AeroMobil still has a few things to hammer out before the Roadster can go mainstream, such as securing enough funding for mass production, as well as solidifying regulations and certifications from the European Union. And while most people may want their very own Roadster when it debuts, AeroMobil’s main goal isn’t to replace every single car with a flying one. Vaculik noted that initially, the Roadster is targeted to wealthy buyers and flight enthusiasts.
The company's long-term goal is to cut down on inefficiency. The idea is to provide options for people traveling what AeroMobli considers “medium” distances, or trips at around 400 miles. If someone decides to fly such a distance now, the process of traveling to and from the airport, in addition to the actual time for air travel, adds up to around six hours. But if a person were to simply take off near the starting location and then land close to the trip’s destination, it could cut down travel time to just 3.2 hours.
If the Roadster can accomplish this and generate enough profits, then AeroMobil will pursue their idea for the self-flying car. Vaculik didn’t give any indication as to whether such a vehicle is already being built, but he noted that it would incorporate already existing autonomous driving and flying technologies, and it would boast advanced vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems. Plus, it would be a tad more accommodating, seating four rather than two.
For that, we'll just have to wait until 2017 to see how well the Roadster's debut goes. In the meantime, you can continue to geek out about the car's inaugural flight below: