Will the flying car take off or remain pie in the sky?

We sometimes struggle to make sense of the things we see in the sky. Is that a UFO we see? Are spaceships and unexplained discs real? 

But flying cars will soon no longer be the stuff of science fiction, not if the announcement from Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Yusof is anything to go by.

As much as we want to see a car that flies, Malaysians have always been sceptical of new technological advancements.

It is uncertain if this dream is realistic or just marketing hype. Many wonder if the car is going to fly or float. Will it be an oversized drone or a rich man's toy?

Also, does Malaysia need flying cars? Does the idea even make sense? How safe will it be? Can our ecosystem support cars in the sky? What happens if there is a collision mid-air? 

The proposal will involve many policy decisions. Regulations need to be put in place, and we have to consider the cost, technology limitations, prototype quality and infrastructure. 

We will also need to draft laws pertaining to air traffic, usage of airspace and airborne traffic management. All these issues have to be addressed.

When Redzuan first spoke of the flying car, it drew mixed reactions on social media. He later clarified that it is expected to fly at a low altitude and at a reasonable speed, but will not be for sale.

Implementing something which is not realistic is bound to invite public scorn.

A necessity?

What Malaysians actually need is efficient public transport, infrastructure, more friendly pedestrian walkways.

Kuala Lumpur and other major cities are riddled with parking nightmares. We find places where people double and even triple park, while the rest of us spend an eternity looking for parking spaces.

There are bottlenecks everywhere. Our highways and roads are poorly designed, exacerbated by highly populated residential areas, improper developments and haphazard town planning.

A 20-minute drive to the city can easily extend to over an hour due to the dreaded congestion.

I would suggest that authorities solve the public transport problem and poor traffic management first before allowing their dreams to take flight.

Find ways to help traffic to flow more freely, optimise parking spaces and improve the efficiency of parking operations.

The authorities should also look into creating more parking spaces at government hospitals, MRT stations and UTCs. Promote hybrid and electric cars, and sell them at affordable prices.

Looking to the skies

By the way, the flying car project has nothing to do with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s third national car project, which is expected to be launched next year.

I remember clearly when the government announced it was going to build the Penang Bridge in 1981. Most Malaysians were sceptical. They felt that the project was not feasible as no such structure had been built in the region before.

Now the Penang Bridge is considered an engineering marvel and one of the country's major landmarks.

Malaysians were also proud of our very own Proton Saga when it was launched in 1985. Though fraught with difficulty, the national car project eventually got off the ground.

When the Wright brothers tried to prove human flights were possible, people laughed. 

So why can't we build our own flying car? Malaysia may have the expertise required, and if it takes off, it will not just be a 'syok sendiri' (self-gratifying) project.

Let's fly into action.

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M VIVEK served as an aide to several former MIC deputy ministers. - Mkini