Toyota is seriously planning to build an aerocar. The automaker filed a patent application in the U.S. Patent Office last week in this sense. More precisely it will be not specifically a flying car, but a unique, stackable wing system that could make one possible.
Toyota's proposal, which is currently identified as patent application 20150246720, includes a schematic that details a wing construction that is able to morph and extend upward from the roof.
The application argues that most roadable aircraft designs rely on heavy, folding wings that compromise the width and visibility of the vehicle when it’s in driving mode. Instead, Toyota’s idea is to mount several narrow wings on the roof of a car that don’t protrude beyond the sides of its body and can be deployed as needed.
The sketch of the vehicle’s fuselage is intentionally vague and generic, and the description covers nearly any type of power source or driven wheel combination, while airborne propulsion could be provided by a variety of rear-mounted thrust propulsion systems.
The patent application, however, provide fresh insights as to how Toyota intends to build its aerocar. It is not a radical departure from the automobile it is currently making except for its capability to fly. What is not clear in the schematics, however, is how the vehicle will move since the application did not mention a technology that would propel it forward.
