Anti-Gravity

In 2011 the anti-gravity problem was cracked by the Dream Team at the Warp Drive Project on a suggestion By Favel. Instead of bus sized devices that had a few very large repulsor cones, and could barely lift their own mass, they made grids of small comes that would fit in just about anything. The cones themselves could even be made by anyone that had a smelter, kiln, and knowledge of metallurgy.
Small anti-gravity companies have sprung up in small factories that used to do casting or heat treating. Hobby flying cars, from ground hugging conversions of classic cruisesmobiles to multi-mach super cars are built in garages around the country. Even motorbikes have gotten into the act. As of 2012 hundreds of wheel-less cars and other platforms exist. In an explosion of glee the wheels were ripped off just about everything at the Warp Drive Project. That accounted for half the flying cars as of the first quarter 2012.
The largest and perhaps strangest of the lot is the "Forest Fighter". Built on the grounds of the Warp Drive Project at Steven Ashby's urging, this massive craft is part fire boat, part supertanker, part pump, and part helicopter. The Forest Fighter holds 40,000 gallons of water directed to the fire by four fire monitors. It can hover over a fire area giving directed water streams. It can refill from near by lakes. It is ready for the 2012 fire season.
==Official Reaction==
The FAA has made effort to control the anti-gravity explosion. 
*Ground Cars -- Ground cars are limited to a height of two meters. This must be a hard setting not something that can be turned off. Ground cars require only a normal driver's license with such endorsements and/or certifications as the local State requires. They are not the concern of the FAA.
*Flying Cars -- Everything that can go higher than two meters. The FAA has multiple categories and endorsements. "Flying cars" exist as everything from Earth movers with anti-gravity plates to make helicopter lifts easier, to sub orbital impulse powered aircraft that can do mach 7. Nailing down the classifications is done. Any such craft that is piloted requires an anti-gravity endorsement on a single engine pilot's license minimum. There is more mind-numbing regulation. 
==Corporate Reaction==
In addition to the dozens of new anti-gravity cone suppliers The major auto manufactures rolled out ground cars in the 2014 model year. The approach has been conservative. Everyone started with a conversion of a well liked sedan. What is shocking them is a utter lack of hideous expense. They can actually price these cars in the normal range. 
Tire manufacturers are doing "The Scream". The smart ones are looking at the death of the industry. The scramble to get states and municipalities to ban wheel-less vehicles on the basis of safety failed. Hovercraft and their lack of braking ability and stable directional control was being pointed to as the model, simple demostrated proved i it flawed, if not disingenuous. Tons of cash and lawyers were tossed into the fight. They lost. Flying cars, with only tiny landing pads are the rule. At least they can make landing pads and legacy tires.
Proponents are pointing out the advantages. The savings on road repair alone are staggering if all the wheels went away. Snow removal and salt are not required. Roads do not even have to be concrete. Gravel even grass is just fine. Imagine if you will a city where all the roads are paved in grass. Wear and tear on the road is a thing of the past, once the wheel is banished. Short prairie grasses would not even require mowing. A city full of long narrow meadows filled with wild flowers, adding to the air quality, not subtracting from it. (Also not subtracting from the city coffers.) Residential areas without a concrete street in sight.
For once the threatened corporate power is not getting the knee jerk protectionist attitude it usually enjoys. State and local government are looking at the immediate savings, without a loss of road tax revenue and smiling.
==The implications==
Uptake of the anti-gravity revolution looks to be quick. The simplification of car design is unavoidable. In one move you ditch tires, brakes, and suspension. The cost of owning a car drops, again. Road wear becomes thing of the past as there is little incentive to continue using wheels. Truck weight? What the replusors can lift. No impact on the road. 
While the auto under body industry is going to take a terrible hit, the conversion business will soften even that blow. Smart business owners will stop replacing brakes, tires, and tie rods and start turning the family mini van into a ground car. 
Category:Intangibles
Category:Technology
Category:CoD