Pop.Up.Next drone and car transporter

Price Cloud cuckoo land

So, you are stuck in traffic. It’s terrible. Total gridlock. You drum your fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. Then, all of a sudden, a huge flickering shadow falls across the bonnet as a giant drone hovers above you. Your car shudders in the down draft and then, like a robotic eagle, it swoops down, picks you up and flies you off over the queuing traffic…

Sounds like pure fantasy, doesn’t it, or at least an April Fool? But apparently it’s not. It’s the ‘Pop.Up Next’ transporter as envisioned by Audi, Italdesign and Airbus. They propose that the vehicle will be a ‘modular concept offering entirely electric, fully automatic horizontal and vertical mobility’. Sign me up! I want one.

The ultra-light, two-seat passenger cabin will be controlled via a vast 49in crystal-clear screen, topped off with speech and face recognition, eye-tracking and gesture commands. Audi is supporting the project with know-how on battery technology and automation. ‘Creativity is needed where new mobility concepts for people’s diverse needs are concerned,’ says Dr Bernd Martens of Audi. Yes, or maybe just a flight of fancy…

Email Martin at martin.love@observer.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @MartinLove166