Airports are among the most lucrative areas for ride-hailing businesses because they're one of the few hubs that provide round-the-clock trips. Tesla is in the early days of its ride-hailing service and hasn't been approved to provide autonomous rides for the public in California, but the company is making airports a priority. In a memo Business Insider obtained in July, roughly a month after Tesla launched Robotaxi in Austin, the EV maker notified the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
Alef Aeronautics received approval to begin flying car tests at Half Moon Bay and Hollister airports this week, a step closer toward commercial production for what the San Mateo-based startup calls the world's first flying car. The company will start testing with its Model Zero Ultralight and later expand to other Model Zero prototypes and its $300,000 commercial Model A. Planned testing will include driving, vertical takeoff, forward flight, vertical landing and ground and air maneuvering.