Riding in a self-driving car may feel wildly futuristic, but one company is aiming to take autonomous transportation to new heights with its air taxis.
Wisk, which was founded in 2010 and acquired by Boeing in 2023, is developing autonomous aircraft that can get you across town in a fraction of the time it would take to drive. The airborne taxis can fly a distance of 90 miles at up to 120 knots, or around 140 miles per hour -- on par with the average speed of a commercial helicopter.
The Wisk air taxi can fly without a pilot. The company has just unveiled its sixth-generation model. Wisk
Wisk has carried out nearly 2,000 test flights and recently unveiled the sixth generation of its air taxi. CNET stopped by the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California, for an exclusive early look.
Unlike other companies developing air taxis, such as Joby and Archer, Wisk aims to launch as a self-flying transportation mode from the outset. The planes are designed without a pilot's seat, creating space inside for four passengers. The company plans to launch its autonomous flights in 2030, pending certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. It'll take off first in Houston, Los Angeles and Miami.
Wisk's sixth-generation aircraft has a roomy interior with four seats. Wisk
An exclusive look at Wisk's redesigned aircraft
The new sixth-generation Wisk aircraft feels more like the inside of an SUV than a plane. It has a roomy interior with four seats and four doors. There are armrests, cup holders and charging ports, as well as compartments for stowing smaller carry-on items like backpacks and purses.
Each person has access to their own door, so you don't have to awkwardly climb over anyone to get in or out. No middle seats here! There's also Wi-Fi and air conditioning onboard -- which isn't always a given on smaller planes -- that will hopefully make the ride more comfortable.
Wisk's director of product design, Uri Tzarnotzky, gives me a tour of the latest aircraft design. Celso Bulgatti/CNET
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