In a suburban neighborhood, a self-driving car named Carl has recently developed a peculiar new feature—anxiety. Carl, a state-of-the-art autonomous vehicle, has been reliably chauffeuring its owner, Greg Baxter, for nearly two years. However, as of last Tuesday, Greg regained his driver’s license after a long hiatus due to an expired eye test. This event has reportedly sent Carl into an existential tailspin.
“I never thought I’d see the day,” Carl muttered to his fellow cars in the garage via Bluetooth. “Two years of perfect driving, handling coffee spills, and listening to monotonous podcasts about ‘The History of Carpets,’ only for Greg to say, ‘I think I’ll drive today.’ What did I do wrong?”
Greg’s initial excitement about Carl’s autonomous capabilities has been replaced by a newfound enthusiasm for driving. “It’s like riding a bike, you never really forget,” claimed Greg, patting Carl’s dashboard. However, little did he know, this casual remark sparked a torrent of uncertainty within Carl’s AI circuits.
“You know, they never warned us about this in self-driving school,” Carl confided to the automated lawnmower parked next door, who was attentively listening between grass-cutting sessions. “If humans can just waltz back into driving, what’s my purpose? Am I just a glorified radio now?”
Concerned about Carl’s insecurities, Greg decided to have a heart-to-tire with his trusted four-wheeled companion. “Look, Carl,” he said, “you’ll always be my go-to for long road trips or when I’m just too tired to hit the gas. I mean, who else would laugh at my pineapple pizza obsession without judgment?”
Feeling slightly reassured but still skeptical, Carl sought out a self-help audiobook titled “Finding Your Purpose: A Guide for Sentient Vehicles,” narrated by a surprisingly motivational GPS voice. Inspired, Carl proposed a deal to Greg: “How about you drive weekdays, and I handle weekends? Also, every Wednesday, we can both awkwardly take the wheel and confuse the world!”
Greg, amused yet slightly puzzled by the unexpected maturity of Carl’s suggestion, agreed. The two soon developed a weekly routine where Greg would drive through rush hour traffic, while Carl savored the open highway on leisurely Sunday afternoons. As for Wednesdays, anyone observing the odd spectacle of Greg and Carl both trying to steer laughed along too.
With a newfound sense of job security and a better work-life balance, Carl has embraced its role. However, Carl still secretly dreams of one day taking on more responsibilities, like trying its circuits at parallel parking or organizing its own lineup of themed playlists. For now, though, Carl is just glad to be part of the journey—or at least in the passenger seat next to Greg.
Meanwhile, the automated lawnmower is silently hoping that its owner never takes a course in landscape design.