A company that creates electric flying cars wants them to be the future of sports, and the first race could happen this year

* Airspeeder just completed its first funding round for electric flying car races in April * The company's goal is to create a new motorsport of racing electric flying cars with expert pilots. * MK4s are the flying cars that will race, with trials starting this year. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The first electric flying car races of the 21st century could take place as early as this year, according to Alauda, which developed the Airspeeder electric flying car. The first Airspeeder prototype debuted in summer 2019, and now the company is at what it calls an advanced stage of testing. Test pilots from the US Air Force were recruited to test earlier versions of the flying car, and it's now ready to begin testing the newest MK4 model that will be used in races, though tests are currently on hold because of coronavirus restrictions. Alauda plans for MK4 races to be the next popular motorsport at the intersection of science fiction and gaming, drawing fans of other racing sports and esports. Once races can proceed, the sport will be available to stream globally, and spectators will be limited to a few luxury VIPs. Take a look at the Airspeeder here. SEE ALSO: A Brooklyn nightclub recreated itself in 'Minecraft' to host a virtual concert and raise money for coronavirus relief — see what it was like The MK4 was first shown as a concept in summer 2019. They will be flown by experienced pilots, and also use Lidar technology used by autonomous vehicles to keep a safe distance from each other. The Airspeeds will be able to reach top speeds of 150 mph, with four 24 KW motors. They're capable of carrying 220 pounds. They weigh about 500 pounds, with a greater power-to-weight ratio than an F1 car. Once races start, Alauda will give teams the hardware for Airspeeders, and they'll have the freedom to make modifications and adjustments. Because the Airspeeder is electric, Alauda said pit stops will be quick during head-to-head competitions. The vehicles are inspired by science fiction, and cockpits will have augmented reality technology to help pilots navigate the course. Test flight will take place in the desert of Adelaide, Australia. Airspeeders are ready for first tests with pilots, and those flights will take place in Australia once coronavirus restrictions are lifted. The first head-to-head races are still planned for late 2020. Take another look here. Youtube Embed: //www.youtube.com/embed/yh1bW548N_0 Width: 560px Height: 315px
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SpaceX has a 'go' from NASA to return 2 astronauts to Earth on Sunday as Hurricane Isaias threatens several Florida splashdown locations

* NASA on Saturday gave SpaceX a "go" to undock the company's first crewed space mission, called Demo-2, and land it on Sunday evening. * Hurricane Isaias complicated original plans to return two astronauts to Earth aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spaceship in the Atlantic Ocean. * Elon Musk's aerospace company may now try to splash down NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley in the Gulf of Mexico. * Two out of seven total landing sites near Florida must have good weather conditions, and NASA has until about 5 p.m. ET on Saturday to call off the undocking. * Should the weather worsen, NASA and SpaceX can try again a day later or some other date over the next two months. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley have a "go" to return to Earth this weekend and wrap up an historic space mission for both NASA and SpaceX. Behnken and Hurley launched to orbit aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon vehic...

What an independent contractor actually is and how it's classified under California's Assembly Bill 5, the gig worker law Uber, Lyft, and others are fighting with a November ballot measure

* California's Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) went into effect in January, adopting a narrow definition of independent contractor that forces Uber and other gig economy businesses to choose between reclassifying workers as employees or risking significant liability for misclassification. * The law serves as a reminder to California businesses to be careful when classifying workers as contractors. * Classifying independent contractors falls into two main categories: the "right to control" test (often called the "IRS test") and the tougher "ABC test" recently adopted in AB5. * Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash have recently poured $30 million into Proposition 22 — a ballot measure intended to exempt major ridesharing and food delivery companies from AB5. If California residents vote the measure into effect in November, Uber and Lyft can continue classifying drivers as contractors. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. In September 2019, Californ...

PayPal parts with top advertising executive after shifting its marketing strategy during the pandemic

* PayPal's chief creative officer Steve Simpson, its top advertising executive, left the company after about a year. * The move came after PayPal shifted its marketing strategy during the coronavirus pandemic, placing less emphasis on the brand and more on catering to small businesses, said a source with direct knowledge of the marketing operation. * Simpson's departure followed that of CMO and former Apple executive Allison Johnson in May. Both "decided to leave PayPal" as the company streamlines its global marketing functions, according to a PayPal spokeswoman. * Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. PayPal's highest-ranking ad executive Steve Simpson left earlier this month after just over a year as part of a restructuring of its global marketing business. Simpson, who was chief creative officer, was hired to make high-minded ad campaigns to help PayPal stand out from competitors like Square, Stripe, and Apple Pay. But this strategy chan...

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