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Hovering river taxis channel 'WALL-E,' could come to a waterway near you

Take my money now.

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Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).

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Jessica Dolcourt

Jan. 11, 2017 1:53 p.m. PT

SeaBubbles needs more money to get these battery-operated water ships ready for flight.
SeaBubbles

I would gladly fork over cold, hard cash to climb into one of these futuristic-looking, battery operated water pods for my commute, or even a joy ride.

The bubble-shaped hovercraft look good enough to be a friendly spacebot from the scenes of Pixar's "WALL-E," but instead, they're battery-operated water taxis dreamed up by French startup SeaBubbles. And they're meant to cut road pollution in cities with rivers and other waterways.

SeaBubbles seeks another round of funding from Silicon Valley investors, among others, to further develop the adorable hovering taxis -- around $30 million for the next round according to Bloomberg.

The SeaBubbles taxis hover 6 inches off the water's surface. They emit no exhaust, the company claims, and generate none of the waves that would damage waterways. They would also offer an alternative to traffic jams for commuters who live and work along waterfronts.

"In San Francisco we can save people an hour a day going from downtown to the Silicon Valley and back," SeaBubbles co-founder Anders Bringdal told Bloomberg TV in an interview. Speaking from experience, traffic jams can easily make a one-way trip from downtown San Francisco to downtown San Jose a two-hour ordeal.