Imagine controlling your car by your thoughts only -- for instance, you just think of a congestion-free route to office which your vehicle should take and bingo you are right there.

Your imagination is now a reality, thanks to German engineers who claim to have developed such an autonomous car whose speed and direction can be overridden by the driver's thoughts, the 'New Scientist' reported. And, people with disabilities that prevent them driving regular cars could experience driving by controlling at least some of the car's functions, too.

The smart, semi-autonomous 'Volkswagen Passat' has been christened 'MadeInGermany'. Using laser radars, microwave radars and stereo cameras, the car can perform 360-degree obstacle detection and sense a car in front from its fenders up to 200 metres away, say its developers. In all respects, it's a state-of-the-art autonomous car fully capable of driving itself or interfacing with other interesting control systems like the iPad or iPhone.