PHOENIX, AZ — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs wants the state to be an early adopter of commuter-enabling flying cars and air taxis, further positioning Arizona as a hub for advanced transportation technologies.

“In Arizona, we have pioneered innovation, aerospace and advanced manufacturing, from the first integrated circuits to next-generation computing chips to self-driving cars,” Hobbs said in a statement released Wednesday. “Today, we’re taking bold steps to explore opportunities for artificial intelligence and advanced air mobility and further strengthen Arizona’s leadership in technology.”

Hobbs tasked the Arizona Commerce Authority with taking the initial steps to make this science fiction future a reality.

“When NASA and the FAA launched their grand challenge around this topic, Phoenix-Mesa was one of the first 10 cities where they initiated their exploration,” said Marisa Walker of the Arizona Commerce Authority’s Institute for Advanced Mobility . “There’s long been an understanding that it’s probably part of the first wave of communities that were most likely to advance this emerging technology.”

Walker says Arizona’s climate, experience in using new transportation technologies, and the state’s aerospace and defense roots make it an ideal place for companies to build and test flying cars.

She says that as federal agencies discuss how they will regulate these vehicles, it’s a great time for Arizona to establish itself as a hub for flying cars.

“We are really one step away. We’re ready to take advantage of that, and so it’s in Arizona’s character to go in there,” Walker said.

The Arizona Commerce Authority estimates that while flying cars may not be fully operational for another decade, testing and production could begin sooner.

Nationally, the market for advanced air mobility could reach $115 billion by 2035, according to the governor’s office.

While flying cars may seem like a distant fantasy, there are already some available for pre-order, such as Alef Aeronautics.

“It’s a point-to-point vehicle,” Alef co-founder Constantine Kisly said. “Drive from home, maybe as a couple, couple 100 feet, 200 feet to the designated parking lot. Take off, fly to your point of interest, your city activities, then land, then drive and park your car in regular parking, so there’s almost no infrastructure change.”

Kisly said his hope is that one day the entire process will be automated, which is similar to Walker’s vision for people driving flying cars in the same way they now request ride-sharing.