Skip to main content

Google co-founder’s self-flying taxi venture takes off in New Zealand

Meet Cora

So-called “flying cars” have come a long way since 2011 when this Russian guy stuck a pair of wings on the side of his own aging motor before screaming down the runway (at 60 mph) and hoping for the best. Remarkably, the contraption flew for 180 meters, though it could only reach an altitude of 3 meters.

Recommended Videos

While the then 72-year-old driver of that 1987 ZAZ Tavria car likely invested much of his retirement money in his pet project, some far bigger beasts with much deeper pockets have since entered the race to build a truly viable “flying taxi” for short city hops as well as longer rides.

One of those with a dream of creating such a flying machine is Google co-founder Larry Page. He’s been lending support to the development of the Kitty Hawk Flyer, an ultralight electric aircraft that’s essentially a large octocopter with a seat and steering controls. But this week we learned that the team behind the Flyer has a far more ambitious design in the works — Cora.

The cool-looking two-seat machine features 12 wing-mounted rotors to enable vertical takeoff and landing, and a large pusher-prop to help it fly like a regular airplane.

Cora, which was unveiled this week and is currently undergoing flight tests in New Zealand, is fully electric and autonomous. It can carry up to two passengers, has a reported range of 60 miles, and a top speed of 93 mph. Operating with a noise level far below that of a helicopter and without the need of a runway, the aircraft could take off and land in busy urban settings without causing any great disruption to people in the vicinity.

The plan is to use Cora for a commercial flying taxi service in New Zealand, launching before 2022. The antipodean nation has been chosen because of its more relaxed approach to regulation for such projects, and the development of vehicles like Cora will help the country toward its ambition of net zero emissions by 2050.

The team behind Cora is led by Kitty Hawk CEO Sebastian Thrun. He’s one of the folks who helped launch Google’s autonomous car unit — today called Waymo — and who recently hit the headlines for a new “flying car” nanodegree course at online education outfit Udacity.

“We know the technology [for a flying taxi] is feasible because we are already doing it,” Thrun said in a video (above) highlighting his latest project.

There’s certainly plenty happening in the flying-taxi space just now. Last month we saw the first test flight of the Airbus-backed Vahana self-piloting air taxi, and also learned more about EHang’s progress with its 184 flying machine. Uber is developing its own aerial vehicle, too, while Joby Aviation and Volocopter are working on their own vehicles with an eye on an airborne taxi service.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more
Zoox recalls robotaxis after Las Vegas crash, citing software fix
zoox recall crash 1739252352 robotaxi side profile in dark mode

Amazon's self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, has issued a voluntary safety recall after one of its autonomous vehicles was involved in a minor collision in Las Vegas. The incident, which occurred in April 2025, led the company to investigate and identify a software issue affecting how the robotaxi anticipates another vehicle’s path.
The recall, affecting 270 Zoox-built vehicles, was formally filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Zoox said the issue has already been addressed through a software update that was remotely deployed to its fleet.
Zoox’s robotaxis, which operate without driving controls like a steering wheel or pedals, are part of Amazon’s entry into the autonomous driving space. According to Zoox’s safety recall report, the vehicle failed to yield to oncoming traffic while making an unprotected left turn, leading to a low-speed collision with a regular passenger car. While damage was minor, the event raised flags about the system’s behavior in complex urban scenarios.
Establishing safety and reliability remain key factors in the deployment of the relatively new autonomous ride-hailing technology. Alphabet-owned Waymo continues to lead the sector in both safety and operational scale, with services active in multiple cities including Phoenix and San Francisco. But GM’s Cruise and Ford/VW-backed Argo AI were forced to abandon operations over the past few years.
Tesla is also expected to enter the robotaxi race with the launch of its own service in June 2025, leveraging its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. While FSD has faced heavy regulatory scrutiny through last year, safety regulations are expected to loosen under the Trump administration.
Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020, says it issued the recall voluntarily as part of its commitment to safety. “It’s essential that we remain transparent about our processes and the collective decisions we make,” the company said in a statement.

Read more