Dad will appear in your dreams when you are exploring the influences that he holds over you. If he is driving the car - the dream can be showing how his influences are currently driving you. When he appears in your dream - examine his presence as your own judgements that can be either positive or negative. Similar to police appearing in a dream - dad can represent our own critical tapes. Since everything in the dream is representing the dreamer - it is not 'dad' that is the focus - but the aspects that you adopted from him.