Dhaka, Nov. 11 -- The vehicular mayhem of Grand Theft Auto is being harnessed by international researchers to make real-world roads safer.

The famous video game series is best known for high-speed police pursuits, spins, and crashes. Players can even careen through crowded streets without following any traffic rules.

However, scientists are now turning this virtual chaos into a tool for saving lives, the BBC reports.

Modern games feature highly realistic physics, varied weather conditions, and dense traffic networks. These graphics provide a ready-made test environment that rivals multi-million-pound professional driving simulators at a fraction of the cost.

Engineering teams at Osnabruck University of Applied Sciences in Germany modi...