German researchers have developed an application for the iPhone which allows the user to drive their car via their mobile. The iDriver will effectively turn the driving experience into a real-life video game or vice-versa. Such is the capacity of the new app that it is capable of controlling the movement of vehicles up to two tonnes.

The iDriver has individual accelerate and brake buttons and a virtual steering wheel that utilises the phone’s motion-sensor technology. It interfaces with a specially equipped car which receives messages from the iPhone and relays them into the vehicle via wireless technology. The virtual driver allows driving from a distance through the use of live video streaming from a roof-mounted camera.

The new app is the proud product of Berlin’s Free University artificial intelligence team and is not commercially available as yet, nor is it expected to be. The ethical and legal ramifications of any public use would limit the app to display capability or potentially for police or army use.

So far the app has only been used on a deserted runway at Berlin’s Templehof Airport where the car, called The Spirit of Berlin was filmed making a series of turns by an operator holding an iPhone some distance away. Similar to the iPhone itself or even the Wii the vehicle was made to go follow the movements of the handheld device and is the latest in a range of new products that aim to achieve the driverless driving experience.