Roger Staubach, the Hall-of-Fame football player and former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, once said, “There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.” However, in cities across the world, the last mile travel is major problem for travelers. Often, they park their cars far away from the target location due to traffic in the city centers.

A recently published patent application from Ford discloses a unique solution to provide last mile connectivity. Ford plans to sell cars with hoverboards. The hoverboard, as pictured above, has a light and sturdy platform made up of carbon fiber. It also has Mecanum wheels to provide stable, and omnidirectional movement capabilities. Other features include obstacle detecting and avoidance capabilities using imaging and proximity sensors.

The hoverboard will also help you keep your balance automatically. For example, speeding up will lead to tilting the platform forward to keep you from falling off.

What’s even more interesting, is that the hoverboard can be used with extensions like wheelchairs. You can also use the hoverboard to carry luggage and groceries, and at the end of your travels, you can stow it in the back of your car. With a range of 5 miles on a single charge, the hoverboard will help you get through a day’s activities without breaking a sweat.

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