DRIVERS will be allowed to take to the sky in a second state, according to a new August 1 law.
Minnesota passed a new road law that set the stage for a new era of flying cars.
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State lawmakers passed the so-called Jetsons law, which goes into effect on August 1, according to local Fox affiliate KMSP-TV.
The legislation officially defines a “roadable aircraft” as a vehicle that can both fly and drive on public highways.
The definition includes airplane-to-car hybrids designed for road use that are capable of taking off and landing at an airfield.
The law simplifies the process for these dual-purpose vehicles to be registered as motor vehicles.
Drivers can use a tail number to replace traditional license plates.
Tail numbers are unique identifiers typically assigned to planes.
On the road, these innovative vehicles will be treated like regular cars.
The vehicles must abide by Federal Aviation Administration rules when they take to the air.
The same federal rules apply at an airport and a landing area.
Flying cars would be prohibited from taking flight directly from roads.
Minnesota is the second state to pass a law regulating flying vehicles.
New Hampshire is similarly looking into the car-flight future and has passed the so-called Jetsons regulations.
Lawmakers named the regulations after the popular 1980s cartoon television shows that featured troves of futuristic flying cars.
The show’s creators envisioned the setting in 2062, exactly 100 years after the series premiered and less than 40 years in the future.
Several companies have pursued flying vehicle concepts, but none have a clear ramp toward full-scale production.
A fan-favorite model called the Alef Model A debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in 2023.
The company believes the model will sell for around $300,000. They’re hoping to start production in 2025.
REGULAR ISSUES
Car companies have attempted to build out new-age roadway technology.
But in recent earnings calls, two companies said they’re running up against a regulatory environment that has halted tech production.
General Motors announced on July 23 that it would cease production of its autonomous Origin vehicle.
The self-driving car, built without a steering wheel or any driver buttons, was nixed from the company’s Cruise subsidiary.
“The Origin does not include a steering wheel and brake pedals and uses campfire seating, a design that is currently not permitted,” the GM spokesperson told The U.S. Sun.
Meanwhile, Tesla said in its earnings call that it will forge ahead with its autonomous vehicle production during its July 23 call.
Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, said the company will announce more details on its Robotaxi in October.
MORE RULES
Minnesota also announced new seat restraint regulations for parents.
On August 1, the state will change regulations around child safety seats with four adjustments. They are:
- All children under two years old must sit in a rear-facing or convertible child safety seat
- Children under two who have outgrown either option must sit in car seats with internal harnesses
- Children over four who have outgrown internal harness seats must use belt-positioning booster seat
- Riders over nine years old can move out of their seats if they pass the state’s new five-step tool
Legislators said the new five-step tool will help drivers determine when their child is ready to use the car manufacturer’s seat.
Inside the 5-step tool
Children must fit these five specifications before parents can remove the safety seat:
- The child sits back with their shoulders and hips touching the seat back
- The child’s knees must bend over the seat’s end
- Seat belt must cross the child’s hips, not their thighs
- Seat belt must cross the child’s chest, not their neck
- The child must sit correctly without slouching or napping during the duration of a ride
Children under nine must sit in a car seat until they match these requirements.
Per Minnesota Safety Council.
The five steps include a child’s ability to sit with their back fully against the car’s seat, remain awake during a ride, keep their knees at a 90-degree angle, and maintain the seatbelt across both their hips and chest.
Safety advocates praised the new regulations, saying it will keep children safe in case of a traffic emergency.
“We’re finding that a lot of caregivers are transitioning their children out of a booster seat prematurely because they feel like their child is big enough to be in a lap and shoulder belt only,” Alison Shea, a child passenger safety instructor, told local Fox affiliate KQDS-TV.
“But we’re actually finding that children that are removed prematurely are prone to injuries on impact.”
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