There is something about the idea of a flying car that sparks the imagination - maybe it is the association with futuristic sci-fi movies or just the idea of finally finding a way to beat the traffic that appeals.
And there are hundreds of firms competing to come up with the perfect airborne vehicle, with around 175 new designs currently vying to get made.
But can a sky-high commute ever be achieved and, if it can, will it be affordable for the average harassed commuter?
The BBC met two German firms working to make electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft a reality, at a recent tech summit in Lisbon.
Volocopter and Lilium are friendly rivals in the flying taxi space and their crafts look very different. Lilium's is a slick white machine more like a plane, while Volocopter's futuristic design combines the looks of a drone and a helicopter.
Lilium's electric-powered vehicle is capable of flying for one hour on a single charge, but the challenges for the firm are moving from a two-seater model to one that can carry more passengers and to switch from vertical to horizontal flight.
Volocopter is planning shorter journeys from bespoke Voloports and by 2035 aims to have dozens of these across Singapore, able to handle 10,000 passengers a day. Eventually it wants its craft to be able to land anywhere.
In October, Volocopter flew its taxi across Singapore's Marina Bay - a short journey, nearly abandoned because of a heavy downpour.
Test flights are incredibly important if firms like Lilium and Volocopter want to gain regulatory favour, but they are a long way from a regular commute. However, both firms claim that once their machines take off, they will be affordable for the masses.
"If the journey is short then the cost will be similar to that of a normal taxi, and if it is a longer trip it will be equivalent to a high-speed rail ticket or an economy flight," said Lilium founder Daniel Wiegand.
Volocopter's founder Alexander Zosel agrees, saying his company was founded on three principles. "To be the quietest possible aircraft, the safest possible, and not to do toys for boys but to democratise air travel."
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