The News
Toyota invested another $500 million into a US air taxi firm. California-based Joby Aviation plans to build electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) capable of carrying four passengers for short intercity journeys, and hopes to have a commercial service running next year.
Toyota previously backed it with $400 million, while Uber invested $75 million. Air taxis are an increasingly near-future proposition: This year, China’s aviation watchdog gave a preliminary license to an autonomous eVTOL craft that resembles a consumer drone, and the manufacturer has already received 1,100 orders.
AD