[CCIP]

No reason a very light aircraft can't be made relatively fool-proof. I assume getting a license on these would not be at all like getting a pilot's license. I wonder what it would take to train the average commuter to simply learn how to land this in case of emergency - I don't assume they would need much in the way of other manual piloting skills. Not that this one's a simple one.

I guess this may also be high time to bring back the idea of recovery parachutes. If we are talking about what's basically electric-powered light gliders, no reason they couldn't pack a parachute and maybe an emergency cushion to bring it down relatively safely (or at least in a way that' survivable for the occupants). Especially assuming these things are made of light composite materials and electric-powered, this would actually also reduce a lot of risks both in the air and on the ground - not much chance this thing would catch fire or explode even in the worst circumstances. On the other hand I wonder how these things would cope with weather - I don't imagine these things would be very fit to deal with the climate in many parts of the world on a daily-commute basis.